The Treasure I've Been Dreaming Of
by lydiarmarks
Summary: Chloe is the captain of the Arcadia and her first mate, Max, had been her best friend through thick and thin as they made their way to infamy. Victoria Chase is a noble woman with Kate as her lady in waiting. Life seems to be going on as normal until Max and Chloe capture the other two girls. Adventures and romance soon follow, but will it lead to only death and destruction?
1. Chapter 1

Victoria's POV

I woke up that morning to the sound of Kate humming softly as she set my clothes out for the day. She had been my lady in waiting for years now and we had been… Well, I suppose friends since we were young. She's the daughter of one of the other servants and we became close after her mother passed away. Though I rarely associated with her when there were other people around, I did care for Kate. She was a shy girl with her beautiful dirty blond hair always up in a bun when she worked. Her hazel eyes always looked very sad and withdrawn, but she had a genuine kindness in her that I rarely saw in others. Especially here in London.

"Good morning, Kate," I said as I sat up in my bed, rubbing my eyes.

"Good morning, Lady Victoria," she replied, giving me a smile that warmed my heart. She always smiled at me like that, even when I did not treat her the way she deserved to be treated.

"Are you still going to have time to play for me this morning?" I asked, stretching as Kate set a simple red gown on the edge of my bed. Kate had taken to playing the violin when we were children. I remember the first time I had discovered her playing, I was ten years old and she had picked up the violin my father had tried to force me to play. She played it so naturally even then that I begged my father to pay for her to get lessons. In turn, I took to the piano, promising to learn to play it as masterfully as I could if it meant father would pay for Kate's violin lessons. Not that I would ever admit to such a thing. Ever since then, I would listen to her play for a little while in the mornings when I read or studied. It was a very calming time for me, a good way to start off my day.

"Not today, I'm afraid," she replied with a soft smile, though she looked nervous. "We have to prepare for our trip to the Caribbean and the ship leaves at noon today."

"Oh, yes, right," I said, getting out of bed and walking over to the where Kate had set the red gown. "You will bring the violin along, won't you? I would still love to hear your playing while we are away."

"Of course, my lady," she replied, walking over and helping me undress. "I asked the cook to prepare your usual breakfast this morning and then your mother suggested that we go into town to meet with Lord Prescott so that we can go window shopping before the ship arrives."

"All of my things have already been packed?" I asked, smiling at the thought of seeing Nathan. He was my best friend and I hadn't seen him for a few weeks because he had been away visiting his uncle to talk about some business that I didn't care to listen to as he explained it before he left. I was happy that I would be able to see him before I left for the Caribbean. Father had some business he needed to attend to around our estate there and I always loved going to the islands, so I always went with him. I loved the atmosphere in those places. The air was always so bright and felt less heavy than the atmosphere in cities like London. Plus, I loved the beaches there, they were always so beautiful. The people were strange, but their legends were fascinating. I had spent many nights with the servants there when I was a child. Our cook on that estate was a local woman who knew so many stories that she still hadn't told them all to me yet, even years after our nightly story sessions had begun. Kate never liked the stories, though. She was easily frightened by those sorts of things and would often ask me to pray with her before bed after we listened to the stories.

"Yes, my lady," Kate replied, pulling me from my thoughts. She was helping me put my gown on now, straightening the skirt out after she got it laced up in the back. "Does that fit alright?" She asked. It was a new gown that I'd never worn before, so I was sure she wanted to be sure that it wouldn't have to be altered.

"It fits fine," I replied, becoming impatient. I wanted to see Nathan and hear about his trip. He had been in Paris, where I had always wanted to go but had yet to. I had studied French all my life and had always wanted to explore France from border to border, but I had never had the time. Father had me busy learning all about how to be a business woman and how to rule the art world with an iron fist, while my mother had me busy learning how to be a lady and all the right things to say to the all right people. With all the things they had taught me, I wouldn't be surprised if they were preparing me to take over the art world after they retired. Not that they ever would. Father had even gone as far as hire someone to teach me how to use a musket and a sword. Even though I would probably never have to use those skills, he said that self defence was always a good skill to have just in case.

"Are you alright, Lady Victoria?" Kate's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I smiled at her a little, trying to look more energetic than I felt. I had been having strange dreams lately. Dreams where I was at sea and there was a storm and some woman with brilliant blue eyes and freckles, but it was hard to remember all of it. I would always push the dreams to the back of my mind whenever they woke me up in the middle of the night and I did the same whenever they somehow managed to push themselves back to the front of my mind during the day.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," I replied, putting on my shoes and walking over to my vanity. I sat down and Kate picked up the hairbrush in front of the mirror, running it through my long, light blonde hair. I had always hated having it long, but mother insisted that a lady kept her hair long no matter how insufferable it was. If it were up to me, I'd cut it all off without a second thought.

I felt my tense shoulders loosening as Kate brushed my hair. She was so gentle about it that it always made me feel more relaxed. I sighed softly, and let myself lean back in the chair that I was sitting in.

"Are you excited for the trip?" I asked, wanting to fill the air with something besides the strange silence that often lingered in the morning. I was an only child and my parents had never been the loudest people, so it was usually quiet in the house unless we had guests or when Kate was playing the violin. In a way, when I really thought about it, Kate was like my sister. She had always been there for me, even when I told her to leave me alone. She was like the sister I had never asked for but had sort of always needed. Not that I would ever admit that to anyone aloud. Nathan was kind of like a brother to me as well. I would take care of him when we were young and he needed someone to look out for him. We were the same age but it was almost like I was his big sister. When we were children, he would come to our estate and we would play hide and seek in the garden and he would always try to cheat. Kate would play with us sometimes, but Nathan would always poke fun at her until she cried and then I would have to tell him what a horrible gentleman he would turn out to be and then he would start crying. Then I would be comforting two crying children until Nathan finally apologized and we would go back to playing.

"I do love the ocean," Kate replied, pulling me from my memories. I often lost focus when I hadn't gotten enough sleep. "It's nice to to draw the things I see when we're there. Are you excited, my lady?" She asked, braiding my hair.

"I'm excited to see what has changed since we were there last," I replied, watching Kate in the mirror. She was quite a beautiful young woman. I had no doubt that she would find a husband someday. I hoped that he would be good to her. That he would be sweet to her and never let anyone hurt her. Because she was hurt here more often than I would like to admit. My parents and some of the staff were very cruel to her. I had talked with father about it some time ago, but nothing had changed. I hoped that time would take her away from here to some place that deserved how radiant her smile was when it was genuine. She looked up and met my eyes in the mirror, blushing when she saw that I was staring at her.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked. I smiled and shook my head, looking down at my hands folded in my lap.

"Nothing's wrong," I replied. "I was just thinking."

"What about?" She asked, still braiding my hair. She was trying to make it as perfect as possible. I paused, wondering if I should tell her the truth. I didn't want to bring up anything that would upset her, but I also wanted to talk with her about something that mattered. She was one of my closest friends, if not one of my only friends. We spent most of our time together. I wanted to be sure that she was alright. Partly because I cared about her, but also partly because her mood affected mine as well.

"How has everyone been treating you as of late?" I asked, watching her in the mirror but flicking my eyes away when she looked up at the mirror to look at my face. She hesitated, looking back down to continue with my hair.

"As they always have, my lady," she said softly, the hint of a frown on her face.

"So not as well as you should be treated," I replied, watching as she met my eyes with a look of shock on her face. She closed her mouth because it had been hanging open, looking away for a moment. "Kate, if anyone is cruel to you, please tell me. I don't want you to be so sad. It's really a damper on all of the things that we'll be doing while on our trip." The last part felt cruel to say because I felt like I was making her feelings seem like they were only valid because they affected me, which wasn't the case in the slightest. She just deserved better, but I couldn't give away my soft hearted intentions so completely.

"If that is what you want, my lady," she replied, finally finishing with my hair. I stood and turned to face her, grabbing her chin gently with my fingers to lift her gaze to mine.

"I want you to feel safe here, Kate," I told her, making my voice gentle but firm so that she knew I was serious. "You deserve to feel safe in your own home." She just nodded, looking at me with wide, hazel eyes. I let my fingers fall from her chin and we walked out of my room and down the hall. I found the stairs, walking down them and then down another hall until I had reached the dining room. Mother and father were already there, waiting for me. They were always early to breakfast. Mother looked up at Kate and I as we entered and gave me a small smile and a curt nod.

"Good morning, Victoria darling," she said, sitting up in her chair. Father continued to read his paper, reaching over to a cup of morning tea and sipping it idly before setting it back down on the small saucer.

"Good morning," I replied, sitting down just as a servant brought out my food.

"I'm going to check that everything is prepared for the trip, my lady," Kate said, giving me a bow before exiting the room. I ate my breakfast in silence, wanting to hurry so that I could go see Nathan, but also not wanting to rouse suspicion. My parents had already tried to get me to marry Nathan more than once and I had refused each time, saying that marrying Nathan would be no less revolting than marrying my own brother. That always made my mother cringe and forget the idea completely for at least a short while.

Looking up at my mother, who had picked up a book that had been next to her plate, I wondered if I would look like her when I was her age. My parents were both further along in years than most parents, but they both looked far younger than they really were. I had gotten most of my looks from my mother. The blonde hair and the cold stares that could kill a full grown man. But I had gotten my green eyes and tight jaw from my father, who always looked like he was dealing with business rather than anything fun or pleasing in any other way. My father was all about business, it was all he ever really talked about. My mother was similar, but instead of business that had to do with art and money, my mother spoke often of business that had to do with men and marriage and all things that came with being a young lady born into a rich family.

After I had finally finished my breakfast, I excused myself and found Kate in the study, scribbling away in a small, leather bound book. I stopped in the doorway, watching the way the light caught against her skin. I hadn't realized how pale she was. Was she always so pale? And she had these dark circles under her eyes, like she hadn't been sleeping. I cleared my throat to get her attention, feeling impatient. She jumped a little, looking up at me in surprise.

"Are we ready to go into town?" I asked her, giving her a soft smile. I had this sudden urge when she met my eyes. Like I needed to protect her, like she was my little sister and I needed to make sure that nobody ever hurt her again. It was strange and one of the only positive emotions I'd ever felt so strongly. If one could really call it positive. She closed the small book and set it on a side table, getting to her feet.

"Yes, my lady," she replied, looking at the floor as she walked toward me. We made our way out of the house and were just outside the outermost gate of my family's estate when I finally spoke.

"You should call me Victoria," I said, breaking the tense silence that had grown between us. She looked up at me in surprise, her mouth hanging open a little. I avoided her eyes, keeping my gaze straight ahead. "Just because I don't like when you sound so formal. We are practically sisters, after all." I managed to sound nonchalant, which was very satisfying to me. I wasn't giving too much away.

"If that's what you want, m- Victoria," she replied, her voice soft. But I could hear the smile at the edges of her words and it was hard for me not to smile as well. Making Kate smile was a nice feeling. I planned to do it more often from then on.


	2. Chapter 2

Max's POV

The sea air rushed past me, tugging at my hair and tunic and filling my nostrils with the salty smell that I had become so accustomed to. The sun had only just begun to rise above the horizon, casting a beautiful golden glow over the surface of the choppy waters. I inhaled deeply, watching as we drew closer to the English coast. My right hand had a firm grip of a rope the hung loosely from the mast, keeping me on board the ship that had been my home for many years now. Captain Chloe had decided to name it the Arcadia, the name of a woman we knew back in the city we grew up in. She was like a mother to us then and still welcomed us with open arms when we came to visit.

Chloe and I had grown up together on the streets, becoming thick as thieves early on. Chloe's parents had died of a disease that she was somehow immune to and my parents had been killed in a raid. Well, my father was killed. My mother had been taken away and I hadn't seen her since. But Chloe had become my family. We had met because some of the richer children had set up a sort of fight club where poor children could fight for money while the rich children watched us tear each other apart. My first fight was against Chloe, which everyone had expected me to lose. Granted, I was much smaller than her and I was nothing more than skin and bone back then. But Chloe, as big as she was, fought out of pure rage. I was far more calculated when I fought, something that caught Chloe off guard at first. My father had trained me in self defence from a young age, having been a mercenary for many years. The fact that I had so much skill already as a child, along with the fact that fighting was practically in my blood, I had a large advantage in most fights because of the way my size made people underestimate me. It made them go easy on me. After the fight, I shared the money I had made with Chloe since she had only one a single fight. We've been best friends ever since.

I heard flapping wings just behind me and turned a little to see the ship's pet falcon land on my shoulder. He nuzzled his feathered head against my temple and I smiled, reaching up to pet him. Chloe had decided that we call him Frank after a man she'd scammed to help us get the money to buy the Arcadia. We hadn't seen the human Frank since we left Ireland, but Frank the falcon was much more pleasant company.

"Super Max," Chloe's voice pulled me from my thoughts, causing me to turn around to face her. Frank flew off my shoulder and over to Chloe, landing on the wrist she held out as a perch to him. She was dressed in black leather trousers that she had insisted on buying in Spain, along with a silky white tunic that fluttered in the wind a little with a pair of black boots and a simple sword strapped to her belt. Her hair, which she had managed to turn blue using some strange dye she bought from a witch in the Cayman Islands, was held back using a leather strip that she always used to keep her hair out of her face. We would actually be heading back to the Cayman Islands after we stopped in England for supplies. Chloe had that smirk on her face that she always had when she got an idea that would put our lives in danger but somehow manage to lead to something way too exciting or almost getting killed. "How would you like to pillage an English nobleman's ship before we leave port?" She asked, making me laugh. We were pulling into port as she spoke.

"And get ourselves hung for attacking nobility?" I asked, stepping toward her. She scoffed, putting her hand over her heart like I had hurt her, but she still had that twinkle in her eye and that smirk on her face.

"Maxine Caulfield, you wound me," she replied in a mock British accent, ruffling my hair. I groaned and went to fix my disheveled, chestnut locks, but Chloe grabbed my wrist, making me look her in the eye. "There's a ship here that's leaving for the Caribbean with some sort of treasure map, Max. If we can get them right as they enter open waters then we can snag the map and whatever gold they have and make a run for before anyone's the wiser. Come on, this is our chance! We could find that treasure and be so rich that no one would dare try to lay a finger on us." She had this fiery look in her eyes that she got when she was really passionate about something and she had a grin on her face that made my skin shudder.

"Fine," I replied, ripping my wrist from her grasp and fixing my hair. "But no dilly dallying. We've already got a few ships from the Spanish on our tale from when you tried to steal what you thought were ancient texts about the Holy Grail."

"They were ancient texts about the Holy Grail," she said angrily and stomping a boot against the deck, causing Frank to fly off of her arm in surprise and perch himself on the rails of the ship. Chloe sighed and ran her fingers through her bright blue bangs. "Fine, it won't take long. We'll just get what we need here and wait until that ship leaves, get the map and leave before anyone knows what happened."

"Do you even know who owns the ship?" I asked as the crew docked the Arcadia and we walked onto the flimsy wooden docks.

"Some family that has a lot of control over art and sod like that," she replied, folding her arms over her chest. "Chase or something." I walked beside her, looking down as I examined the name over in my head. I had heard it before, but wasn't sure where. We were walking through the coastal town, looking for particular shops that sold things like food and liquor in bulk. We walked past a shop with a big window that showed me my reflection, showing me that I hadn't really managed to fix my hair completely from Chloe's mistreatment. I stopped and walked toward the window, fixing my hair in its reflection. When I was finished, I stood up straight and looked myself over. My clothes weren't as fancy as Chloe's were, but that didn't bother me. A simple pair of brown trousers and an off white tunic along with black boots and a small sword on my belt were all better than nothing. Clothes were clothes, after all. Plus, in my line of work, even if I could afford nice clothes, expensive shirts and trousers never lasted long.

"When you're done being a priss, we have food to buy for a hungry crew," Chloe snapped playfully, making me jump as I was pulled from my thoughts.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to look somewhat presentable," I replied, catching up with my blue haired friend. She chuckled and put her hands behind her head as she looked around us. Men and women alike were all staring at us as we walked by, probably not accustomed to seeing pirates in their quaint little seaside town.

"If you wanted to look presentable then you should've worn better clothes," she retorted, winking at a group of young women who were standing just outside of a hat shop. They all giggled and looked away, some of them blushing as they whispered to each other. A lot of people reacted that way when they saw Chloe. She was an odd person who had the shortest fuse I'd ever come across, but she had charm oozing out of her with every smirk and confidently spoken word. I'd seen more than a few women, as well as quite a few men, fall under her spell. I had fought romantic feelings for her since we were teenagers, but it never surprised me when she made men drool and women question their sexuality. I just knew that a relationship between us might go bad, which would lead to one of us losing our home and livelihood as well as our best friend. So I never said a word about it to her.

"Can we just get the supplies we need and get out of here so we can get that map and find some actual treasure?" I asked, feeling slightly impatient. I had always hated being the center of attention, especially when I was on the run and everything. But Chloe loved being stared at and talked about. That was probably part of the reason why the authorities who were after us had such an easy time of finding us at the worst times. Chloe had a habit of making a scene wherever she went and always told stories about our daring escapes from the people who so desperately wanted to catch us and throw us in prison.

"Come on, Max," she said with a chuckle. "Relax, enjoy the view." She motioned around us with a broad stroke of her arm. "Look at all the women staring at you." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I just want to get this over with," I replied, keeping my eyes low as not to make eye contact with anyone. "Plus, I don't want anyone contacting the Spanish while we're here."

"Oh, like you don't totally love this," she said with a laugh and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "I know you, Caulfield. I know just how much you love when beautiful women stare at you with lust in their eyes. There's not one woman here who wouldn't love to bed you right here and now." I blushed a little, not even bothering to shrug her off as I fought a smile. We both knew that I had never even talked to another person in a romantic way before, let alone slept with anyone.

"They're not looking at me, they're all staring at you," I replied, feeling a tiny ache in my chest. They were always staring at Chloe.

"Not that one," Chloe said, nodding at someone. I looked up from her to the person she was staring at and my heart skipped a beat, my entire body going tense. I almost stopped walking as I met her eyes. She was about average height, long blond hair braided down her back and brilliant green eyes that seemed to be staring into my soul. When I met her gaze, she quickly looked away, grabbing the arm of a girl who was also looking toward Chloe and I, but her eyes were locked on Chloe, not me. I blinked for a moment, looking to see that Chloe had stopped in her tracks to watch the girl that had been dragged away.

"Chloe?" I asked, taking a step toward her. I looked where she was looking and had to stop myself from staring as the green eyed girl walked into a clothing store along with a tall man with dirty blond hair and the girl with hazel eyes right on her heels.

"Did you see that girl?" Chloe asked, her eyes still locked on the store they'd walked into.

"Yeah, did you see that other girl though?" I asked, letting the words come out as breathes more than anything else. I had never really had romantic feelings for anyone besides Chloe before, especially not for strangers in expensive looking dresses.

"We have to talk to them," Chloe said, starting to walk toward the store. I grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back, making her yelp in surprise and slap my hand away. "What the hell, Caulfield?"

"Look, I get it, ok? Pretty girl who smiled at you makes you wanna go chase after her and bed her before she's gone, but we've got shit to do." I tried to make myself sound more confident than I felt. I knew that Chloe wanted to go after these girls, for her and for me, but I also knew that if we didn't hurry up then we would miss our chance at that map and might get thrown in jail if anyone realized who we were. "There are other pretty girls out there, so can we go?" Chloe's jaw was tight as she looked from me to the store then back to me.

"Come on, it'll just take a second," she whined, giving me a wide eyed stare and a pouty frown, her big blue eyes pleading with me. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Fine, you go ahead and flirt with strangers, but I'm going to buy supplies," I said, turning to walk toward a shop I'd seen that might have what we were looking for. But I didn't miss Chloe's excited smile as I turned away.

"Thanks, Max! I'll meet you back at the ship!" She called after me. I rolled my eyes and flipped her off over my shoulder and heard her laugh before she ran into the store. I sighed and went to go buy the supplies we needed, hoping that Chloe wasn't making a huge mess of our plans.


	3. Chapter 3

Kate's POV

The woman with the blue hair had her arm wrapped around the smaller girl's shoulders, saying something to her that made the small girl blush. The blue haired woman looked up and scanned around and then her eyes met Lady Victoria for a moment. She said something to her friend, who looked up and looked like she would trip over her own feet. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide, watching Victoria like she was more beautiful than a sunset or the waves of the sea. I let myself look at the blue haired woman again and my breath caught in my throat. She was looking at me, her blue eyes piercing into me and leaving me completely motionless.

She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. And she was staring at me in a way that made my heart race, the way men always stared at Victoria, but there was something different in it also. It was almost like she was looking at me like I was someone of value, the way Victoria had looked when she had talked to me earlier that morning. The blue haired woman smiled, making my heart skip a beat. Her azure eyes were trained on me and it was creating a strange pull in my chest that I didn't quite understand. She was tall, much taller than her friend with the chestnut hair and silvery blue eyes. Suddenly, I felt an iron grip on my arm and Victoria pulling me forward into a shop.

I followed her, looking back one last time at the blue haired woman before being pulled into the Victoria let go of my arm with a huff, I rubbed the tender skin and looked up at her questioningly.

"Is everything alright?" I asked her, watching as her jaw tightened and she crossed her arms over her chest. Lord Prescott had a knowing grin on his face as he looked out the window at the two women then to Victoria.

"I do believe that Lady Victoria is experiencing a bit of a crush on that young pirate girl just outside," Lord Prescott said with a playful sneer, making Victoria blush. I furrowed my brows and then looked out the window to see the two women talking to one another. The blue haired woman looked like she was begging the other girl for something.

"I am experiencing no more than disgust for such vile creatures," Victoria snapped back, going over to look at a purple gown that was on a manikin, running the tips of her fingers over the fabric thoughtfully, trying to ignore the chuckling Lord Prescott.

"Oh really?" He asked, taking a step toward her and leaning against the wall just next to the manikin Victoria was looking at, his lips pulled up by an impish grin. "Then why are you still blushing from having such a foul urchin stare at you with wanton lust." Victoria's hands balled into fists, one wrapped around a bit of fabric from the skirt of the purple dress. I was so distracted by what was happening between them that I barely noticed when the door opened behind me, a smooth, soft voice coming from over my shoulder.

"Good morning, my fair lady," the voice said, making my heart skip a beat. That voice wasn't talking to… me? Right? I turned around to see the blue haired woman standing there, a friendly, yet impish, smile on her face as she met my gaze. Her thumbs were hooked on to her belt and she stood confidently, watching me closely. I felt my face getting hotter the longer she looked at me.

"H-hello," I replied, my voice feeling small as I spoke. My heart was racing in my chest and I could barely focus. It was one of those moments that just felt surreal and I knew that I would start to doubt its occurrence when it ended.

"What's your name?" She asked, giving me a smile that sent pleasant shivers down my spine.

"Kate," I replied, looking away from her. I could feel myself starting to shake from nervousness. Why was she talking to me? Why was her talking to me making me so nervous and sort of… giddy? I normally got nervous talking to new people, but this was different. "What is your name?" I asked, trying to sound more sure of myself than I felt.

"I'm Chloe, captain of the Arcadia," she said with a grin, bowing at the waist and taking my hand in hers. My heart fluttered in my chest and I could've sworn that I would faint. She stood and brought my hand to her lips, kissing it so gently that it was almost as if she was afraid she'd break me if she held my hand too tightly. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." I couldn't help the small giggle that escaped me, quickly covering my mouth as my cheeks and ears began to burn.

"Kate," Victoria's voice broke through my thoughts and tore my eyes away from Chloe. Victoria had a disgusted look on her face that made me skin crawl a little. "Why are you letting such an awful person touch you? Can't you see that she's simply trying to scam you? She is a pirate after all." Chloe let go of my hand and stood up straight, looking at Victoria with a sly grin. She was just a few inches taller than Victoria, but that didn't seem to faze either of them.

"Oh, my dear, you wound me," Chloe replied, taking a step forward so that she was standing just beside me. She lifted my chin with her hand, making my knees go weak as she stared into my eye. Dear lord, she was beautiful. "I would never try to scam such a beautiful young lady. I just simply could not resist the urge to know what sort of person would dare catch my interest so completely, only to be dragged away before I could say a word." I swallowed hard, unable to look away from her. She smiled at me and let her hand fall from my chin before looking back to Victoria. "I apologize that my friend couldn't accompany me, I know that you so desperately wanted to speak to her." She smirked at a now completely red faced Victoria. I knew that the way Chloe was speaking was all an act of mockery toward Victoria, a way of satirizing the way people of wealth spoke to one another. Their conversations were often full of hidden meanings and half truths, especially here. In all honesty, it was amusing to watch her get Victoria all riled up.

"Get out of here and go back to whatever filthy hole you crawled out of," Victoria spat back, her eyes filled with anger. I looked away, biting my lip to keep me from laughing. Chloe chuckled and shrugged, taking my hand in hers again, forcing me to look up at her.

"Fear not, Katie dear," she said softly, kissing my fingers. "We will meet again. I can promise you that." And with that, Captain Chloe left the shop, a bit of a bounce in her step that made me smile. I blushed, folding my hands together and looking over at Victoria, who still had steam bellowing out of her ears.

"Insufferable, stuff and nonsense," she grumbled, cursing under her breathe. Lord Prescott laughed, having seen the whole thing.

"I must say, she seemed quite interested in your lady-in-waiting, Victoria," he said giving me a wicked grin. I had never really liked Lord Prescott very much. Though I knew that he had never really lead a happy life, it was no excuse for acting so poorly towards others.

"Yes, well, who wouldn't be?" Victoria snapped at him, her eyes widening a little as she realized what she had said. Victoria and I had never really talked much about these sorts of things. Though we were both at an age where we were ready to marry and start families, she had never brought up such things as my looks or anything of the sort in a more than nonchalant way. She scoffed and crossed her arms over chest again, giving me a once over with her eyes before looking back at Lord Prescott. "I've seen plenty of men moon over her, why is some pirate wench any different? You know, the women are that way when they've lead lives of destitute and misfortune."

"Then what's your excuse for staring at young pirates with freckles and chestnut hair, Lady Victoria?" He asked, grinning as he started towards the door. Victoria let out a huff of annoyance and stomped after him. I smiled to myself, looking at the ground as I followed after them.

Was what Victoria said really true? Had Chloe been… looking at me in a way that men and women usually look at each other? I blushed at the thought, something strangely pleasant filling my chest. I had sometimes thought that maybe I prefered the company of women more than men, but I had always busied myself whenever I thought on such things. My mother had always taught me that thinking of anyone in a sexual way was a sin unless you were married to that person. But she had also said that two women or two men thinking of each other in a sexual way was always wrong, even if they were married because men and women were made for each other. Not that two people of same gender would ever be able to get married in England. I wondered if they were allowed to marry in other places.

I frowned a little, remembering mother's words and letting them swirl around in my head until I became slightly dizzy. I shook my head to clear it, but was unable to stop myself from seeing Chloe's eyes, from feeling her lips against my hand and her fingertips against my chin. Part of me wondered what it would feel like to hold her close. To let her fingertips touch more of me.

I blushed at the thought, my entire body heating up. I shook my head and had to pick up my pace to keep up with Victoria and Lord Prescott.

"How much longer until the ship is ready to leave, Kate?" Victoria asked me, keeping her eyes straight ahead as I walked beside her toward the docks.

"Not long, my lady," I replied. "It might be wise to board soon." She nodded and we made our way to the docks, a strange silence hovering over us. It was strange considering how loud our surroundings were. People of all sorts bought and sold, boarded and docked ships, all talking to someone about something that was of importance to them. Then there was us, walking in silence.

Then my mind went back to Chloe, seeing the image of her pass through my mind again. She really was beautiful and so mysterious in a way that I didn't quite understand. I wondered if God could forgive me if I kept thinking of her the way I was. I'm sure that He would. My mother, on the other hand, would be spinning in her grave. The thought made me smile a little for some reason.

"Are you coming, Kate?" Victoria's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back into the real world.

"Yes, my lady," I replied, getting onto the ship with her. As I did, I prayed that I would see Chloe again soon.

The ship left port not long after we had boarded. Lord Prescott and Victoria had given each other their goodbyes and now I was sitting in a chair in Victoria and I's shared quarters below the deck. I was drawing in my journal, sketching the small details of Chloe's face, trying to remember her as best I could. I had been right before, the whole thing had been so surreal that I wasn't sure if it actually happened. It was strange, like my mind had made it up. Victoria had said nothing about it after the things that Lord Prescott had said. I didn't blame her for that, really. She was Victoria Chase, only daughter to one of the most powerful families in England and maybe all of Europe. She had a reputation to uphold, which did not involve falling for women in any way. I didn't know that Victoria was interested in women, it had just never occurred to me. She had always been the same around most of the upper class people she met, charming, sweet and sometimes even soft spoken, if one could believe such a thing. But she was also hot headed and so stubborn that I was sure she could win any fight she wanted, physical or otherwise.

"What are you drawing?" Victoria asked, her voice was gentle and quiet, but I hadn't expected it. I jumped, looking up to see her looking over my shoulder. She looked surprisingly interested in what I was drawing, which was kind of nice, but also strange. I smiled nervously at her, trying to cover the dark eyes and confident smirk I had drawn so far.

"Oh, nothing, really," I replied, laughing a little. "Just practicing, you know. I really don't draw people enough, mostly landscapes and things like that."

"Well who were you drawing?" She asked, giving me a soft, curious smile. I melted a little on the inside, feeling bad for being so nervous to tell her. I knew that Victoria was really a trustworthy person and a kind, caring friend. Her facade just took over sometimes, leaving her cold and almost cruel to everyone outside of herself. Even the people she cared about, sometimes. I moved my hand aside and handed her my journal, getting a smile from her as she looked it over. "This is the woman from before, isn't it?" She asked, her jaw tightening just a little.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure that I remembered her and that she was real," I replied, speaking softer and faster than I meant to. Victoria flipped through some of the pages, smiling at certain ones.

"Oh, she was definitely real," she said as she handed me back my journal. "I'm sorry for the way Nathan acted. He tends to make a real ass out of himself." I laughed a little, closing my journal and putting it in my lap.

"It's alright," I replied, giving her a smile. "I'm used to him saying silly things." I paused for a moment, looking away from Victoria to gather my thoughts. "Um… Victoria?" She hummed her response, sitting down in the chair across from mine. A small, wooden table sat between us, a stack of books resting on it. I set my journal on top of the stack, still avoiding Victoria's gaze. "Do you really think that I'll see Captain Chloe again?" I asked, my question taking Victoria off guard a little. I looked up to meet her gaze. Her jaw was tight and her brows were pressed together, almost like she was really thinking about her answer.

"Why would you ask such a thing?" She asked. It came out sort of sharp, making me flinch just a little without meaning to. She sighed, running her fingers through her blond bangs. "I'm sorry. All I meant was, why would you want to see her again?" I hesitated, wondering if I should tell the truth as I sat under Victoria's questioning gaze. I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly feeling a bit dry.

"Well, she was… she had this strange look in her eyes that I've never seen anyone give me before," I said softly, toying with a loose thread on my gown as I spoke, looking at my lap. "I just wondered what it was. Maybe if I saw her again, then I could find out what it was and recognize it next time." There was a pause, Victoria looking away from me as she let out a breath of laughter.

"Kate," she said gently, reaching forward and taking my hand. I followed the arm up until it led to her shoulders, up her neck and her face until my eyes were locked with hers. "I pray that, for your sake at least, you will see this strange person again. But, if you do, please be careful. Not all people have intentions as pure as your own." I smiled a little at that, feeling a bit of a blush dust my cheeks.

"Thank you," I replied, smiling at her. We sat in silence for a little while and I wondered what it would be like if I saw Chloe again. Would she still look at me the way she had before?

Suddenly, I heard a large bang ring out into the air and the entire ship shook. I heard screaming coming from the deck and got to my feet. Victoria did the same and we looked at each other for a moment. She gave me a nod and I walked over to the closest, pulling out two swords and a musket, handing a sword and musket to Victoria while taking the other sword for myself. Luckily for me, Lord Chase had let me sit in on Victoria's self defence lessons. We both ran to the deck, opening the doors to hear more cannon fire and see crew members running around across the deck, loading cannons and muskets. I looked over to the port side of the ship, seeing a large ship with black sails getting closer and closer, having gotten hooks attached to our ship to pull them closer together.

My heart raced in my chest as I watched the chaos before me, fear filling my chest as I wondered who would dare attack a nobleman's ship.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" A voice called from the other ship as the ships collided together, making everyone stumble a little. I looked up to see a familiar figure, blue hair being tugged by the wind as she held a sword in her left hand. "Prepare to be boarded!"

"Chloe?" I breathed, feeling my heart skip a beat. "Lord, spare us."


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe's POV

The plan wasn't going as well as I had hoped, but it was better than what I had expected. I was standing on the deck of my ship, watching as my crew went on the offensive, fighting with everything they had. I grinned at the sight, knowing that this whole thing would still go off without a hitch. My eyes searched over the crowd of fighting men when something caught my eye. I squinted a little to make sure that what I was seeing was right, watching the figure closely.

"Kate?" I said aloud, my heart starting to race in my chest. One of my crew members was headed right for her, a grin on his face that made my skin crawl. Kate stood her ground, holding a sword confidently out in front of her. My crew member, a man named John, made his way toward her, swinging his sword in a downward swipe that Kate avoided, stepping gracefully to the side. She side stepped and blocked all of his attacks, making him angrier and angrier with each swing. I jumped down onto the deck of the other ship, sprinting toward Kate and John, my mind focused on one thing only. Nobody was allowed to hurt Kate, no matter whose side she was on. Shoving a few people out of my way, I stepped between the two of them, blocking a swing from John as I held out my other hand towards Kate.

"What the hell are you doing?" I growled at John, shoving him back. He let out a growl and took a step forward and I held my sword forward, the sharp edge pointed at his throat. His eyes widened as he met my gaze, his chest heaving with rage. "Go pick on someone your own size before I cut you down right here and now." I lightly pressed the edge of my sword to his neck, but he kept his gaze locked with mine. Finally, he backed away, going off to find a new enemy. I let my sword fall to my side with a sigh, turning to smile at Kate. As I turned around, she swung her sword at me, causing me to duck down and take a step back, my eyes widening.

"Why would you do that?" She said angrily, swinging at me again. I knocked the swing aside, taking another step back.

"Because I didn't want him to hurt you," I shouted, not wanting to swing back at her. "We didn't come here to kill anyone. We just want the map."

"You think that coming here and firing cannons at us really makes me want to believe you?" She replied, lunging at me. I side stepped, knocking into the railing of the ship. I felt cold steel held against my skin, swallowing hard as I met Kate's hazel eyes. Her chest was heaving from exertion and her gaze was wild with something that I had never expected from her. It was a beautiful sight, but it was also chilling to see the fire in her eyes.

"My life is in your hands, Katie dear," I said after a long pause, the two of us watching each other carefully. Her eyes held my gaze and I saw her arm shaking. I reached up, gently wrapping my fingers around her wrist and lowering her arm away from me. She didn't resist, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears as she kept her gaze locked with mine. I took a step toward her, kissing her cheek softly. "Sorry, darling." I slammed the hilt of my sword against the side of her head, knocking her unconscious. I caught her in my arms as she fell, bringing her to a pair of doors that I guessed lead to the rooms below the deck. I carried her over to the doors, surprised by how light she was as I kicked the doors open. I set her on the fancy bed and sheathed my sword, looking around the room.

"Now, if I were a map, where would I be?" I asked aloud, looking around before my eyes fell back on Kate. She looked so relaxed now, but I felt a pang of guilt wash over me as I found a bruise forming on the side of her head. I hadn't wanted to hurt her, but I knew that she wouldn't let me get what I needed if I didn't get her out of the way somehow. I looked her over, my eyes following the soft curves of her body, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. I wondered what had made her hesitate. I wondered where she had learned to fight the way she did and why she had become so angry when I forced John away from her. Then I wondered why she hadn't just stabbed me in the back when I was turned away from her. Why hadn't she just killed me? She had been given two chances, both easy kills and yet she had spared me both times and had looked like she would cry when I gave her the opportunity that could've saved her.

I shook my head to clear it, but was unable to get the image of Kate's fiery eyes searing into me like coals.

"Focus, Chloe," I muttered to myself, walking over to a desk and rummaging through it. There were a lot of papers, but no map. Well, at least nothing that looked like a map. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, looking around and moving to the bookcase across the room.

My back was to the door when it slammed open, causing me to jump and draw my sword. Max stumbled in, falling backwards and rolling to the side just in time to avoid a sword that swung down and slammed against the wooden floor. I looked up and saw the blond woman that had been with Kate at the store, breathing heavily and glaring at Max with fury contorting her face.

"How dare you attack my father's ship?" She growled, only giving Max a moment to stand before swinging at her again. The swords collided with the sound of grinding metal as Max blocked the swing, side stepping as the blond woman stumbled forward. "The Chase family has connections, you filthy wench. My father will have you hanged for such a crime." Max ducked under another swing and swept her leg to trip the blond woman who fell on her back with a sickening thud. Max cringed at the sight and I could see her resisting the urge to help the other woman up, guilt covering her poor freckled face.

"I'm sorry," she gasped out, breathing heavily from avoiding so many rageful blows. "If it makes up for anything, this wasn't even my idea." The blond woman got to her feet pulling out a musket and pointing it right at Max.

My muscles moved on their own, moving faster than I ever had in my life. I jumped, tackling the blond woman to the ground, knocking the musket from her hand. She shrieked in anger, writhing underneath me before I knocked her unconscious. Max was leaned over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. I let go of my hold on the blond girl and stood, taking a deep breathe.

"She's a feisty one," I said, wiping a bit of sweat off of my forehead. Max sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"This was not supposed to happen," she said, looking from Kate to the blond woman then at me. "I can't believe that these girls are part of the Chase family." She sheathed her sword and pulled the blond woman up and put her on the bed next to Kate.

"What's so great about the Chase family?" I asked, going back to the bookcase to look for the map, starting to get frustrated that this wasn't going to plan.

"They're one of the most powerful families in all of England," Max replied, going to a side table to search it. "The blond woman is probably Victoria Chase, the Chase's only daughter. They would probably pay quite a bit of money if she were to get captured or something." Max said this absentmindedly, closing the drawer she was looking in. I paused, turning to look at her. When she met my eyes she gave me a questioning glance. "What?" She asked, furrowing her brows a little. I couldn't help the smirk that pulled at my lips as an idea unfolded in my mind.

"How much money do you think they'd be willing to give?" I asked, lifting my hands and intertwining my fingers behind my head, grinning as Max registered what I was saying, her eyes widening.

"Oh no," she said, taking a step toward me and shaking her head. "No, no, no, we are not taking these women hostage. There is no way! Do you have any idea how many people would be after us? We wouldn't be able to stay anywhere, not even the islands. They'd search for us until they found us and then they would hang us and that would be the end of all of this." I chuckled and put my hands on either one of Max's shoulders, holding her gaze.

"Max, buddy, come on," I said, letting my voice smooth itself as I spoke. "All we would have to do is leave them a message and then take it from there. For all we know, we wouldn't even need the map if we got money from those Chase people. Then we could go anywhere and have anything!"

"Chloe, you've officially lost your mind," she whispered, looking over her shoulder. I could still hear people fighting outside. "We can't do this, what about these women? You think they're really gonna just let us take them as our prisoners? That one girl almost chopped your head off and that Victoria girl almost blew a hole through me with a bullet. They're not exactly tame young noble women." I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Max! You think too much," I said, moving over to the bed to take Kate in my arms. "Go on, write a note or something and then take that other girl so we can get out of here." Max groaned and stomped over to the desk and scribbled a note and left it on the bed.

"I can not believe you're making me do this," she said as she picked Victoria up in her arms, struggling a little. Max wasn't exactly a super human, but she was strong.

"I'm doing this for your own good, Caulfield," I told her and we made our way out of the room, barely able to weave our way through the crowd of people. We managed to get the two girls onto the Arcadia and that's when I gave the signal that told everyone to retreat. A crew member from the other ship was holding on tightly to the railing of my ship as we started to pull away. I sighed and picked up a musket, pointing it at him and raising my eyebrows expectantly. The man gave me an angry look and let go of the railing, falling into the sea.

Max and I brought Kate and Victoria below deck, putting them both in the single cell I had built into the ship after I'd purchased it. I locked the door to the cell after making sure they were both laid down. I put the key on my belt and looked up to see Max staring at the girls with a concerned look on her face, her brows furrowed as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. I sighed, rolling my eyes a little.

"Max," I said, pulling her attention from the girls to me. "It's gonna be fine. We're not going to hurt them or starve them or torture them, alright? We just need to keep them in here so that they can't cause any trouble."

"I still don't think this is a good idea, Chloe," she replied, looking worried. "What if it all goes bad? What if one of them gets hurt and then we get into even more trouble? I don't want to scar them for the rest of their lives or anything." I took a deep breath and put a hand on Max's shoulder.

"I promise you that nothing bad will happen to them or us," I said softly, making sure that she was looking into my eyes. "We're not monsters, Max. We're just people trying to survive in a world that tried to get rid of us early on. Now we have a chance to take back what's ours and make a real life for ourselves."

"But what about them?" Max asked, her voice shaking a little. I was taken aback by the fierce look in her eyes. "Sure, the world fucked us over, but that doesn't give us the right to make other people miserable just so that we can make ourselves feel better about being mistakes that nobody cares about." Her words hit me like bricks, making my insides tie themselves in knots. "Chloe, we can't hurt people just because we've been hurt before." I wanted to tell Max that she didn't understand, but she was the only person who really did. She was the only other person that understood what it was like to lose everything and then have to fight to get just a scrap of yourself back.

She was the only person who really knew what it was like to have nothing to lose and then find one little spark of hope. We had been that for each other all these years, two sparks fighting to find oxygen until they became roaring flames that consumed everything they touched. I clenched my fists by my sides, my eyes still locked with hers. This was the only way.

"We have to do this," I said firmly, barely keeping my voice from shaking. "We don't have a choice now. After we get the ransom money, you can either stay with me or you can leave, but we're doing this." I turned to walk back to the deck, but I didn't turn away fast enough to miss the tears that welled up in Max's eyes. I hated this, but it was the only way. It was the only way to make us safe again. And if that meant losing Max… The thought made my chest ache, but at least she would have a real life again. At least she'd be safe.


	5. Chapter 5

Victoria's POV

"Victoria?" A soft, familiar voice broke through the darkness, causing the throbbing in my head to increase. I groaned, opening my eyes slowly as memories began to crawl back into my mind. The ship was attacked, I fought against the pirate girl, I tried to shoot her and then…

When my eyes opened, I didn't recognize where I was. The room I was in was dimly lit by a lantern hanging on the ceiling and the floor was plain wood, it looked like it had hardly been walked on. I looked around me to see the bars of a cell that made up three of four walls that kept me from whatever was beyond them, the fourth wall being made of wood, the side of the ship. But who's ship? Wait… This was a cell. I jumped to my feet, running to the bars and grabbing hold of them, shaking the metal furiously.

"Let me out of here right this instant!" I shrieked, anger building up in my chest. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I gripped the bars so hard that it hurt, turning my knuckles white. "Let me out!"

"Victoria?" the soft voice from before called out, pulling me from my thoughts. I spun around and saw Kate sitting against the wall of the ship, her eyes wide and full of tears. "Where are we?" Her voice was so small and shaky that it made my chest hurt. I made my way towards her and knelt down in front of her, moving a bit of hair from her face. When I did, I saw a bruise just above her temple, feeling myself tense up a little at the sight. The bruise was dark and harsh against her pale skin.

"Who did this to you?" I asked, helping her get her hair out of its usual bun. It was already in disarray, might as well let it down. She tilted her head down a little to make my job easier. I took the tie out of her hair and it cascaded down her shoulders and back, shimmering a little in the lantern light.

"Chloe," she replied, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I… I could have killed her, but I didn't. She told me that her life was in my hands, and I couldn't take it. I just couldn't do it." She sobbed, leaning forward and hugging her knees against her chest. I tensed, unsure of what to do. I reached out my hand tentatively, rubbing circles into her back as she cried.

"It's going to be alright," I whispered, looking around the cell.

"This is all my fault," Kate sobbed, making my skin feel tight around me. I hated seeing her like this, it was like when her mother had passed away. But this time, it was different because she had complete understanding of what had happened to get her into this situation.

"This is not your fault," I said firmly, scooting over a little so that I was closer to her. She leaned against me, her hand gripping tightly to my dress as tears fell from her cheeks and onto my skirt. I cleared my throat, not used to giving affection or comfort. I knew how to comfort Kate, it used to be one of my main concerns, especially in my childhood and teenage years, but it had been years since I'd seen Kate cry. Especially like this. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, trying to relax my muscles as I pulled her shaking body against mine. "This is not your fault, Kate. We're going to get out of this somehow."

"I'm sorry, Victoria," she said shakily, sniffling as she tried to control her sobs. I worried my lip, stroking her hair as gently and gracefully as I could.

"Don't apologize, you did nothing wrong," I told her, looking around the cell. I had barely noticed the sound of footsteps until they reached the cell, drawing my gaze up until I met silvery blue eyes that rested nervously on me. "What do you want?" I asked, watching the woman I had been fighting before. The way she looked at me with those wide eyes made my blood boil. The pity that covered her freckled face made me wish that I'd gotten the chance to shoot her.

"I just wanted to be sure that the two of you were alright," she replied, gripped her elbow nervously and looking away from me. Kate had stopped crying and was just sort of sniffling now, her head still leaned against my chest.

"Why would you ask your prisoners such a stupid question?" I retorted, feeling a small bit of satisfaction when the freckled girl flinched slightly.

"This wasn't my idea," she replied, looking up to meet my eyes. "I didn't want to do this."

"Then why did you?" I asked, only getting angrier the longer I looked at her. Why did I feel this strange tingling in my stomach when I saw her? Why did my stomach fill with butterflies every time she spoke?

"Because Chloe thinks that it's the only way we can get what we want," she said, her voice growing shaky. "I'm sorry about all of this, really, I am. I didn't want to do this."

"What exactly do you and this Captain Chloe want?" I asked, putting a sarcastic edge on the title as I spoke it. The chestnut haired pirate avoided my gaze, swallowing dryly.

"We just want to live without worrying about whether or not we're going to eat or have a place to sleep," she replied, her vulnerability pulling at something in my chest. "Chloe thinks that if we get a ransom from your family that we can have all the money we need, at least for a little while." I looked away from her, looking down at Kate who had stayed leaned against me this whole time, watching the pirate girl.

"What's your name?" Kate spoke up, getting the other girl's attention. She cleared her throat and smiled a little, meeting Kate's eyes.

"I'm Maxine, but you can both call me Max," she replied, gently kicking her leather boot against the wooden floor. "I'm the first mate here, so if you need anything you can just ask me." I scoffed a little, unable to stop myself. Maxine gave me a confused look and Kate sat up, looking at me curiously.

"I just didn't expect a pirate to be so hospitable," I said, resisting the urge I felt to shrink into myself, away from the questioning stares of the two girls around me. I looked up to see Maxine blushing a little, rubbing her arm nervously.

"Would either of you like something to eat?" She asked, smiling sheepishly. "Or maybe you'd like some water? We have rum as well, if you'd prefer that."

"Water is fine for me, thank you," I replied, shifting a little as Kate stood, walking over to the bars. Maxine walked over to barrel and grabbed two tankards from a nearby shelf, scooping water into both before bringing them over the cell. She handed the tankards through the bars and Kate took them, smiling sweetly at the pirate girl.

"Thank you, Max," Kate said, bringing me one of the tankards and handing it to me. I took it and looked down into the contents of the cup hesitantly. I looked back up at Maxine and she gave me a nervous smile.

"I know it's probably not what you're used to, but it's all that we could get our hands on," she said, avoiding my gaze again. I cleared my throat, suddenly realizing how dry it was. I brought the cup to my lips and had to resist taking a long, much-needed mouthful of the strange tasting water.

"It's just fine, thank you," I said, setting the tankard down on the ground next to me. When I looked back up, Maxine's eyes were locked on me, her blue gaze widening a little as I lifted my eyes to her. I felt my heart race a little in my chest and my cheeks suddenly felt warmer than they had before. She really did have beautiful eyes and the way she got all nervous when my eyes met hers filled me with an odd sensation that boiled in my core and made me want to… Well, I'm not sure. I wanted to kiss her but I also wanted to punch her because of the way her face made me want to kiss her.

"Will Captain Chloe be coming down to see us?" I asked, using every bit of willpower I had not to look away from her. She swallowed hard and broke her gaze from mine, giving me an odd sense of satisfaction but also making me wish that she would let me look into her eyes again.

"I'm not sure," she replied sheepishly, worrying her lip. "She's in a bit of a mood after the whole thing. We were looking for a map and we couldn't find it. That's part of the reason why we took you with us." I froze, my heart stopping in my chest for a moment. I had to stop myself from reaching to my touch the waist of my dress. Father had given me a very small, folded up piece of paper the night before and Kate had sewn it into my dress so that I wouldn't lose it. He had said that it was something that people might try to steal because of what it had written on it. Was that what these pirates had been looking for? Is that the reason why we had gotten into all of this? Over some map? I felt a bit of anger flare in my chest as I thought about how readily my father had passed on such a thing to me, his only daughter. It could have very well gotten me killed as well as Kate. But I suppose that I shouldn't have expected anything different from my father.

"Would you let us go if you had the map?" I asked, unable to stop myself. If there was a chance to get out of this then I was going to take it if I could. Maxine looked taken aback and stared at me with wide eyes again.

"I… I don't know," she replied, seemingly rolling the idea around in her head. "It doesn't really matter now, though. We can't go back to that ship or they'll capture us."

"What if you didn't have to go back to the ship?" I asked, watching her mouth drop open a little as she realized what I was saying. I couldn't help the smirk that pulled at my lips. There was a way for Kate and me to get out of this. A way for us to go home.


	6. Chapter 6

Max's POV

I stared at Victoria in disbelief as she started to take off her dress. She pulled the shoulder of her dress down, revealing soft, pale skin. I looked down at the floor, my face feeling so hot that I was pretty sure my entire body would burst into flames. She had said that her father had given her the map and that she would give it to us if we let the two of them go. I hadn't thought that she would start taking off her clothes, but as she did, it occurred to me that she probably had the map sewn into her dress. I dared to take another glance at her and I immediately froze up, my muscles turning to steel.

She had her gown brought down to her waist, her breasts and stomach covered by a corset that looked way too tight, but she didn't seem uncomfortable. Her breasts weren't huge like the women I'd seen in brothels or anything, but they were bigger than mine. The corset made the cleavage much more noticeable, making my heart race a little in my chest. Victoria, either not knowing that I was staring at her or ignoring it, gently tore a piece of very old looking paper from the seme of her dress. The threads popped apart easily at her fingers, not having been sewn for permanence. Her dark green eyes looked up at me as she held the map up, everything inside my body melting beneath her gaze. Something hot had started building in my core and I felt sparks beneath my skin.

"What?" She asked, giving me a stone cold look before grinning just a little. "Have you never seen another woman in her undergarments before?" My heart was racing in my chest and my throat was too dry to speak. She just let out an amused scoff and held the map up in front of her between her index and middle finger, locking her gaze with mine. Jesus, was I dying? My heart kept clenching in my chest before beginning to race again. "Bring your blue haired captain down here so that we can work something out." I swallowed dryly and nodded, practically sprinting to the stairs and up to the deck. I closed the door behind me as I got to the deck, trying to catch my breath. Who knew that one woman could steal it so easily?

I stood up straight, running my fingers through my hair as I searched the deck for my blue haired friend. When I spotted her, I felt myself hesitate. We hadn't talked much since we had captured Victoria and Kate. I didn't know if she was mad at me for what I had said. Knowing Chloe, she was probably angry because she thought I was just going to leave her without a second thought. Which was far from true. Stealing myself, I made my way over to her. She was using one of the lower masts to do pull ups, her arms flexing underneath her tanned skin as she pulled her chin over the mast. She was only wearing her breast band and a pair of old trousers, sweat glistening against her skin. I could hear her counting as I got closer to her, the numbers coming out in puffs of breath. Chloe had made a habit of taking her frustrations out on doing physical things like exercising or sparing, which was far healthier than my habit of keeping it all on the inside and never dealing with anything.

"Chloe?" I said softly, not sure if she'd heard me or not because she didn't stop what she was doing.

"Yes?" She asked, pulling herself up again. "Twenty-seven." I took a deep breath and took a step closer to her.

"I went to see the… the prisoners." The last word sounded so strange as I spoke it, like it didn't fit. Chloe just grunted her response, counting again and again while I struggled to find the words I needed. "Victoria has the map we were looking for," I finally said, getting Chloe to pause and let herself down onto the deck with a thud. She landed on her feet turning to face me with a look of suspicion on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a look that made my skin crawl a little. She didn't look happy, but she looked intrigued at least. That was a good start.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, using her forearm to wipe a bit of sweat that trickled down her forehead. I blushed, recalling the memory of what I had seen back in the cell.

"Well, apparently her father had given her the map and she had it sewn into her dress," I replied, avoiding Chloe's gaze and hoping that she couldn't see me blushing. I heard her chuckle, the small sound turning to laughter as she looked at me.

"Oh my god, you saw her take off her dress!" Chloe laughed, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me a little. "Are you ok? No wonder you look like you're going to pass out!" I laughed a little, relieved that Chloe wasn't as angry as I thought she would be. We had gotten into a few arguments in the past that had left us in a state of silence for about an hour before one of us caved and made a joke or Chloe started tickling me or trying to talk to me about something sexual. She knew exactly how to make me crack, but I didn't mind. I knew that she would never take advantage of what she knew.

"I'm fine, it was just a bit of a shock," I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up as I rubbed the back of my neck. Chloe suddenly got this menacing grin on her face that I knew all too well and I groaned a little. "What now?" I was having fun with this exchange, it was far better than what I had been expecting, but I could feel my skin crawling in discomfort. Talking about this kind of stuff always made me nervous and I wasn't really sure why.

"What did they look like?" Chloe asked, her eyes glimmering a little. I furrowed my brow in confusion, unsure of what she meant. She let out an exasperated sigh, removing her hands from my shoulders and cupping her breasts with her hands. "Her tits, Max! What did her tits look like?" She sounded urgent, like the information meant the difference between life and death. I was pretty sure that my face would turn permanently red from this entire conversation, along with the memory of Victoria's cleavage and pleasantly pale shoulders covering my mind like a blanket. I swallowed hard, stammering and searching for words I knew I had, but couldn't remember. Chloe waited patiently, giving me a look that dripped with a combination of amusement and mischief. "If you don't tell me, then I might just have to go down there and see for myself." She was joking, that much was obvious, but for some reason the idea of Chloe going down there and seeing Victoria like that made my chest feel tight.

"No, no!" I said, grabbing her arm because she had moved every so lightly, as if she would actually do it. Chloe chuckled and ruffled my hair, making me shrink away a little and I couldn't help pouting up at her. "I hate you so much."

"Don't worry, kiddo," Chloe said, giving me a wink. "I won't try to steal your girl. I've got my heart set on her little Christian friend." She said the last sentence as she looked out over the horizon, smiling dreamily as she thought about the girl with hazel eyes and the small gold cross hanging from her neck.

"First off, she's not my girl," I replied, trying to fix my now dishevelled hair. "Second, I thought we weren't supposed to get attached to people we were ransoming. Isn't that pirate rule number one or something?"

"Just because we're holding them for ransom doesn't mean that we can't have a little fun first," Chloe replied with a sly grin, wrapping her arm around my shoulders, turning so that we were both looking out towards the horizon. "So, you said something about her having the map?" She asked after a long, comfortable pause, like she had been thinking about something before realizing the topic that we should be discussing.

"Yeah, she has it and says that she'll give it to us if we let her and Kate go," I told her, watching a seagull as it flew past the setting sun. I sighed blissfully, leaning against Chloe and laying my head on her shoulder. I felt sleepy in that moment, like I could collapse in bed and sleep for days. I couldn't decide if it was because I had just fought the Victoria Chase - who was surprisingly fast despite having been wearing a dress - or if it was because of the warmth radiating from Chloe along with the gentle rocking of the ship as we watched the water before us. I looked up to see a grinning Chloe as she took her arm from around my shoulders and turning toward the doors that lead below deck.

"Let's go talk to some noble girls about a map, shall we?" She asked, walking toward the doors. The grin on her face and the way she was walking made me feel nervous because I knew that she had a plan, probably not unlike the one that had gotten us into this mess in the first place. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I followed her, having to jog a little to catch up with her. I followed her through the doors and down that stairs, giving the man that had been standing guard a quick nod so that he dismissed himself, walking up the stairs and through the doors, shutting them behind him.

"Glad to see that you beautiful ladies are finally awake," Chloe said smoothly, leaning forward so that her crossed arms that were just above her head were leaned against the bars of the cell. Her gaze shifted from Victoria to Kate, who looked away from the blue haired pirate's azure eyes, a blush covering her cheeks. "I'm deeply sorry for any hurt that I may have caused either of you. Especially you, Katie, darling."

"You shouldn't apologize for something that you can't promise won't happen again," Victoria's stern voice interrupted before Kate could reply. She had her dress on again now, and I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. I hadn't really gotten a good look before. Chloe pushed herself off the bars, giving Victoria a look so serious that it made me shiver a little.

"I can promise that it won't happen again," Chloe replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "As long as you are on my ship, it is my responsibility to make sure no more harm comes to either of you."

"And what makes you think that we are going to trust a pirate?" Victoria retorted, her shimmering green eyes moving from Chloe to me and back again before she spoke. "Especially pirates that attacked my father's ship and kidnapped my friend and I?"

"We don't have much of a choice, Victoria," Kate's gentle voice broke through the tense air, drawing everyone's gaze to her. She looked up from the point on the ground she had been concentrating on, meeting Chloe's gaze. I saw Chloe's shoulders tense and it looked like she was holding her breath. "I'll trust her if that's what it takes to get home."


	7. Chapter 7

Kate's POV

I couldn't explain it if my life depended on it, but I trusted Chloe. I was fascinated by her. She was so different from anyone I had ever known. In a way, I guess I knew that she had been hurt too, that she had been looked down on her whole life just like me. It was like she understood me just from a single glance, her azure eyes piercing into my soul and looking at everything I was and had ever been. The way she looked at me made my heart leap and ache all at once, making me wish that I could be as close to her as possible, tell her everything she wanted to know about me, give her everything she wanted. I had never told any of this to anyone, though. Not even Victoria. Well, especially not Victoria. It was obvious that she was about as enamored by Max as Max was by her, but Victoria had said nothing to me on the subject.

We had managed to make a deal with the young pirate girls, deciding to give them the map so that they would take us home. It would take a week before we finally reached England, though. We had gotten quite far in such a short amount of time and Max had us on a course that would take us around whoever would be waiting to capture them on sight. Max had been kind enough to let Victoria and I sleep in her room while she shared a room with Chloe. Part of me wished that Max had suggested we sleep in Chloe's room so that I could get a better sense of who she was, but apparently, Victoria had been wishing something similar in a different way.

It was our first night staying in Max's room and Victoria was already snooping around. She quietly rummaged through drawers and the modest desk in the corner of the room, pretending like she was never truly interested in anything she found. I had changed into my nightgown and was sitting on the edge of the small bed, watching as Victoria opened a drawer in what looked to be a dresser, her delicate fingers tossing items of clothing to the side. I could've sworn that I saw a bit of blush cover her cheeks, her hand freezing in one place as she stared at something that I couldn't see.

"You really shouldn't be snooping," I said softly, trying not to sound like I was demanding anything. "We only just became guests instead of prisoners." Victoria spun around to face me, quickly shutting the drawer.

"I have every right to be nosey," she retorted, snapping a little. "That awful girl did see me in my undergarments after all. She looked as though she would faint from the sight. And did you see her staring? She obviously enjoyed it. It's only fair that I have a little fun of my own now that she's gotten a look at what she's probably been thinking of since she first saw me. Pirates are so crude in that way, always thinking about how they can bed someone." I watched her as she sat down at the desk, her chin lifted high as she spoke, but she didn't look at me. I couldn't help the amusement I felt at the way she spoke. It was almost like she wanted Max to think of her in such a way.

"Well, would you want her to try to sleep with you?" I asked, unable to stop myself or the slightly sarcastic note that hung on the words as they seemed to slam against Victoria like a ton of bricks. She blushed, snapping her gaze toward me, immediately taking away any courage I had felt before I had spoken.

"That's ridiculous," she snapped, folding her hands in her lap and looking away from me. I could've sworn that I saw her legs clenching beneath her skirt, but it was too dark to know for sure. "Leave me alone for a moment, I need to change." I furrowed my brow at the comment, confused by the request.

"I've helped you change many times, Victoria," I replied, feeling a little hurt. "That's part of my job."

"Don't argue with me, Kate, just leave me alone so that I can change," she said sharply, shooting me another look that made my heart stop. I nodded, leaving the room without saying a word. I was barely out the door when she shut it behind me and I heard the lock click, making my heart sink. I sighed and looked around, wrapping my arms around myself to protect me from the cold. I was out on the deck now, unable to help myself from admiring the way the moonlight shimmered on the water's surface. I walked to the very front of the ship, watching as the water flew by beneath the ship. It was quite cold, but not as cold as it had gotten in London in the winter at some points. I looked up, watching the stars twinkle softly overhead. I smiled to myself, watching shooting stars as they sped through the sky.

"How many wishes have you made?" A voice asked, making me jump. I turned to see Chloe making her way toward me, a soft smile on her face as she approached me.

"None yet," I replied, smiling at her. "I'm not sure what to wish for." My heart had started beating a little faster as the tall girl finally came to stand just beside me, looking up at the sky.

"What would you wish for?" She asked, the moonlight making her eyes look strangely haunted. It took me a moment to reply, having been caught up in the way her face looked so different from any of the other times I had seen her. She still had that spark in her eyes, but she looked tired like she had been fighting for a decade and had only just been allowed to rest. I looked away from her, wringing my fingers as I locked my eyes on the wood beneath my bare feet.

"Answers, maybe," I replied, feeling surprisingly calm standing beside the blue haired stranger. She felt… Safe? I heard Chloe chuckle beside me, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath of the sea air like it could cleanse her body and mind of anything and everything all at once.

"What sort of answers are you looking for? Maybe I can help you find them," she opened her eyes again, turning to look at me as she leaned back against the railing of the ship. It was then that I had a chance to see her fully, her body drenched in moonlight. She was wearing her night clothes, simple trousers, and an off-white tunic. The fabric of the tunic hung loosely over her frame, showing off her curves, how flat her stomach was as her torso lead up to the swell of her breasts. I looked away from her before my eyes could linger, my cheeks beginning to burn a little. I just hoped that she hadn't seen me staring.

"I have too many questions," I replied, feeling her gaze on me as I spoke. "I wouldn't want to bore you with them." Chloe chuckled again, making me look up at her. She had a smile on her face as she caught my eye, making my heart beat a little faster.

"You could never bore me, Kate," she said, her voice sounding oddly sincere. "Ask me something." Her voice sounded so soft as she spoke, pulling on something in my chest. I paused, unable to tear my eyes away from hers.

"What would you wish for?" I asked, watching as a grin tugged at her lips.

"I'd wish for money," she replied, pushing herself off the railing so that she was standing up straight. "That way I could live a good life." I was slightly taken aback by her reply, watching her as she stretched her arms over her head. Her tunic lifted up, showing off a bit of her toned stomach, making my throat go dry. Her trousers were apparently a tad too big because they hung so loosely on her hips that I could see the way her muscles and hip bones created a V shape that I couldn't stop my eyes from following. I was still staring at her slight midriff when I replied.

"Money doesn't always give someone a good life," I said, my eyes flicking up to hers as she stopped stretching. When I met her gaze, she had a smirk on her face. She took a step toward me, her body inches from mine. I felt my heart slamming against my ribs, making it hard to breathe.

"Do enlighten me, my dear," she said softly, almost a whisper. I swallowed hard, unable to break my gaze from hers.

"Love," I said simply, the word little more than a breath as it escaped me. Chloe smiled, moving closer to me and reaching out to put her hands on my waist. I was frozen, a mixture of fear and excitement filling my lungs until I was pretty sure I was drowning. Was this right? It felt right. I wanted it, I wanted her closer to me, wanted her more than anything else I could think of.

"Is that something you'd wish for?" she whispered, her breath brushing against my lips as she spoke. I let out a tiny sigh, trying to find something to say. I looked from her eyes to her lips and then back again. I just nodded a little, pretty sure that I was losing my mind. She smiled, leaning toward me and slowly closing her eyes. Was this right?


	8. Chapter 8

Chloe's POV

Why was I so nervous? I had kissed plenty of people before, had done even more with more people than I would like to admit. But Kate was different for some reason. She wasn't like all those other people. I hadn't felt this way since Rachel and now here I was, so close to kissing Kate that I was pretty sure I would pass out. I had my hands on her waist and I was so close to her that I could feel the heat radiating from her. I paused, leaving my eyes closed and giving her a chance to close the gap between us. I wasn't sure what I expected, but what happened next definitely caught me off guard.

She closed the gap, her lips gently meeting mine as tiny sparks fluttered beneath my skin. I sighed softly, feeling her hands slowly traveling up my body until they rested on my shoulders. It was sweet and gentle, her lips tastes like tea and mint and I loved the way she leaned into me. I wished that I could stay in that moment forever, even though I knew that I was far from deserving of it. She was way too perfect, I was the scum of the earth compared to her. But in that moment, the only thing that mattered was the way she shook in my arms as she pulled her lips away from mine. Kate looked up at me with wide eyes, worrying her lip between her teeth in a way that made me feel like I was melting. She looked almost scared and she was shaking a little. I had wrapped my arms around her at some point, pulling her close to me.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, her cheeks a bright pink against the rest of her face. "I've never… This has never happened to me before." I felt a pang of guilt hit me right in the chest as she spoke, making me wish I had asked her first.

"Kate, I'm sorry," I said softly, starting to pull away. "I had no idea, if I had known I wouldn't have done that. I didn't mean to scare you." But she grabbed my shirt, her hands having still been on my shoulders.

"No, I…" She paused, swallowing hard as she dug her fingers into my tunic. "I liked it. I'm just not sure if I should have." I nodded, feeling a little hurt in that moment. I'd been turned down before, but it had never really felt this way.

"Oh," I replied, thinking of a joke to help ease the mood. "We could always do it more just to make sure." Kate giggled, making my heart swell as she leaned forward, leaning her forehead against my chest. I wondered if she could feel my thundering heartbeat in that moment.

"I just don't want to end up being one of those girls you kiss and then forget about," she said softly, almost like it was more of a thought than anything else, something that she hadn't really meant to say out loud. My heart ached at her words and I pulled her a little closer, holding her a little tighter.

"I'm afraid that you're unforgettable, my dear," I whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"But what happens when we get back to England?" She asked and I felt her fingers grabbing at the sides of my tunic. "You'll go off and do whatever pirates do and I'll be back home again with Victoria… Back in that awful place." I felt my tunic getting wet and realized that she was crying. I buried my face in her long golden hair, leaving tiny kisses atop her head. She smelled sweet, like flowers and honey.

"You don't have to go back," I said hesitantly, feeling nervousness crawl up my spine as I spoke. "You could stay here with me if you want. I could teach you how to be a pirate and how to live a life full of adventure just like Max and I." I felt her tense in my arms and wondered what she was thinking. I wondered why I was suddenly saying all these things, why I meant them, feeling them like rocks in my chest as they left my lips. I wanted her to stay.

"But what about Victoria?" She asked, looking up at me. I felt something in me break a little when I saw the tears in her eyes. I wiped a tear off her cheek as it glided down her skin. I kissed her cheek, being as gentle as I could.

"She'll be alright, she's going back to a life that would give her nothing but riches and luxury," I replied, pushing down a sudden wave of resentment that I felt for the blond heiress. "You could stay with us and have everything instead of being someone else's servant. You could be free." I realized that I was simply repeating what I had always told myself when I had decided to buy this ship and sail the seas instead of stay in Ireland. They were the same words I had told Max when she had looked so afraid, when she had doubted herself and me.

"I'll think about it," Kate's gentle voice replied, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked down into her hazel eyes and felt in awe of how beautiful they were. I smiled softly, brushing a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"That's all I can ask of you," I said softly. She smiled sheepishly, her cheeks turning pink again as she avoided my gaze.

"Could we… maybe… kiss again?" She asked, her voice so soft that I almost didn't hear it. I chuckled and lifted her chin with my fingers, locking my eyes with hers.

"If that's what you want, then I'm more than happy to oblige," I whispered, letting my lips meet hers again, taking in the way she sighed against my lips. She was so perfect, so soft and beautiful that it made everything inside me ache for more. I pulled her a little closer, getting a small gasp from her as I resisted my every urge to deepen the kiss. I didn't want to scare her, but I also wanted to let her consume me completely.

We had gone back to our rooms after a few more minutes of that, knowing that both of the people we were sharing a room with were probably wondering where we were. Max had been fast asleep when I got back, so I blew out the candles and flopped down onto the bed, letting out a sigh and smiling to myself. It had been a long time since I was this happy and I never wanted it to end. All I could really do now was hope that Kate felt the same way.


	9. Chapter 9

Victoria's POV

"What do you mean you're staying?" I practically screeched, staring wide eyed at a suddenly very determined Kate. She had seemed to have been stewing over something that morning and when I had asked her what she was thinking so hard about, I was shocked at the answer.

"Chloe said that if I stay then I can be as free as her and Max are," she replied, her voice surprisingly stern as she spoke.

"If free is running from the authorities of almost every country on the planet and living like a criminal than I've been living my life all wrong," I replied, balling my hands into fists. I felt anger boiling in my veins as I watched Kate standing before me, seemingly unwavering in her decision. "Plus, you were free at home. You always have been."

"I was a servant to a family that never appreciated what I did for them," Kate replied, her face contorting in a mixture of anger and sadness, frowning deeply. "How is freedom being told how worthless you are everyday?" I felt something inside me soften at the way Kate spoke, her eyes looking down at the floor as her expression loosened into something far more mournful than anything else. I took a step toward her, taking her hands in mine.

"Kate, you are the farthest thing from worthless," I whispered, suddenly feeling the way I always had when we were children when it came to Kate. That ache in my chest that persisted to haunt me to this day. Kate was someone I needed to protect, someone who was far more special to me than I could've imagined possible. "I want you to be happy, really, I do. But do you think that this is the only way?"

"I can't go back, Victoria," she said shakily, clutching my hands with hers. "I might not get another chance like this. A chance to finally be who I want to be, not who the world wants me to be. If I went back, I would never be able to escape, I'd be a slave to whoever decided that I was worth using. I'd never be able to be my own person." She didn't have to ask me if I knew what that was like. She knew that I felt the same way every single day, just in a different way. A constant fear that I would never get away, a constant ache in knowing that I could be so much more. Kate had her gaze locked with mine, watching my face for any signs of understanding. I sighed, looking down at our hands, joined together as Kate poured out her soul to me, knowing full well that I had thought the same so many times.

"I'm just really going to miss you," I whispered, feeling tears well up in my eyes as I spoke. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to force myself to think as clearly as I could. Maybe Kate didn't have to go home, but I did. She didn't have the weight of an entire legacy on her shoulders.

"Then don't go back," Kate said, squeezing my hands. I looked up at her, meeting her hazel eyes and finding that they were brimming with tears just as mine were. "Stay here with us. Start your life over and leave everything else behind."

"I can't," I replied, my voice shaking as I held back a sob. "I can't just leave. I don't have a choice -"

"You do have a choice," Kate insisted, smiling and breathing a laugh, almost seeming relieved as she spoke her next words. "For all your family knows, you and I are dead. This is your life, you're the only person who should be in control of it." I let out a shaky breath, her words rolling around in my skull like marbles. Could I really do this?

"I'm not sure," I said softly, looking away from her. I felt her watching me and heard the smile in her voice.

"Just think about it," Kate whispered, squeezing my hands reassuringly before letting go. "It's your choice now." Kate gave me a smile before turning to walk out of our shared room, probably off to find Chloe or play with the falcon that was always flying around the ship. I stood in that same spot for what felt like an eternity, Kate's words filling my mind like a storm and flooding my chest like too much rain. Could I really do this?

Could I really just turn around and forget? How could I just leave? The Chase family was famous for more than just our ability to rule over the art world, we were also known for giving up everything in the name of duty and honor. We gave up everything to continue what our ancestors had once started, to continue the legacy that our whole family had worked so hard to create.

But, I knew that these things were never what I had wanted. Ever since I was a girl, I had been told that I would inherit everything one day. I was told that it was my responsibility as a Chase to be perfect in everyway and to show no weakness to anyone or anything, no matter what. But that was never what I wanted. I wanted to make my own life, work for what I wanted, not what my parents wanted. I wanted to be free. I groaned, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. The long strands of golden hair caught on my fingers and I huffed a little before an idea came to me, flooding my mind all at once. I froze where I stood, worrying my lip as I thought it over. I had always hated my hair. Maybe I did have to go back to England and become the woman my parents had always demanded me to become. But that didn't mean that I had to have long hair to do it.

I made my way over to the desk in the corner, grabbing the dagger that had been set on it. I took the dagger in my hand, watching as the light bounced off of its shimmering surface. I gently ran my thumb along the edge, drawing a small amount of blood. It was sharp enough and that was all that I needed. Grabbing onto a fist full of my hair, I pulled it out to its full length, looking up at myself in the mirror as I brought the dagger up toward my hair. It had taken so long for it to grow out to this length, my hair had never grown very fast. I felt a smirk tugging at my lips, watching determination play across my own face.

"Here goes nothing," I said to myself, my own voice filling me with a stubbornness that I had always known, but had rarely felt so strongly. I swung the dagger up, cutting through my hair like it was nothing at all and letting it hang limply in my hand. I looked down at it and laughed, letting it fall to the floor in a golden heap. Maybe I could do this.

I had gotten my hair down to a pixy cut, examining it in the mirror. I grinned to myself, slicking the hair back a little so that it looked more neat. I felt as though I had done a surprisingly good job cutting my own hair with a dagger instead of scissors. Taking a deep breath, I stood, walking to the door and opening it wide, looking out over the deck. Kate seemed to be dreamily watching Chloe do push ups while Maxine was sharpening a sword, looking down its length to see if it was even. Straightening to my fullest height, I made my way over to the skinny pirate girl, catching her gaze when I was only a few steps away.

"Wowzers," Maxine breathed, looking me over. I pushed down the feeling of satisfaction I felt swelling in my chest at the way her eyes widened when she looked at me.

"Joust with me," I demanded, not letting her avert her gaze from me. She let out a laugh, blushing a little.

"What? Why?" She asked, standing up so that she could at least try and compete with how much taller I was than her. I wasn't too much taller than her, I only had a couple inches on her, but they were enough to make me feel a little more confident about what I was doing. What was I doing? She didn't look like she was challenging me, but I knew that she thought she could beat me. She looked more like she was shocked or afraid than anything else, but still somewhat confident by the way she stood, her head cocked to the side a little as she watched me.

"Joust with me," I repeated, crossing my arms under my chest. "Or are you afraid that I'll beat you like I almost did the other day?" She tensed a little bit at the memory, giving me a stare that was something between fear and determination.

"I'm not afraid," she said simply, her voice sort of soft. She looked away from me, holding the sword she had been sharpening tightly in her right hand.

"Then joust me," I insisted, picking up a sword that was leaned against the railing of the ship, twirling it gently in my hand and giving it a once over before moving my eyes back to the freckled girl before me. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was hanging open a little as she watched my fingers, making me grin a little wider. Her eyes shot back to my face, her cheeks turning red as her silvery blue eyes locked with my green ones. She was strangely alluring with her bright eyes and high cheekbones and the way her mouth was almost constantly hanging open a little. That is until moments like these when it was pressed into a thin line.

"Alright, princess. You're on." She loosened her grip on the hilt of her sword for a moment, tossing it from her right hand to her left and then back again, moving her gaze from her hands back to me. "But no going easy this time. Give me everything you've got." Her voice was low and dangerous, almost… arousing in a very strange but effective way. She readied herself, stepping away from the crate she'd been sitting on and moving so that she was standing in a more spacious part of the deck. I followed, standing just a few feet away from her. I got into an offensive stance, readying myself to go all out and make her yield with minimal amounts of effort. I started to circle her, watching as she stood there, watching me out of the corner of her eye without moving. She didn't even take a stance.

You've got this, I thought to myself, taking a deep breathe. One in, one out, in and out again. Now. I lunged, having no time to react before she stepped out of my way and I stumbled to the ground, feeling the hard wood scrape against my skin as my sword slipped from my grasp and slid across the deck. She looked down at me, a grin on her face that made my insides fill with molten heat. She looked hungry, like she was fighting something that I had begun to feel myself.

"Nice try," she said, starting to walk away. This was not over. I was not about to lose to a pirate. She was going to pay for this.


	10. Chapter 10

Max's POV

"We need to make a stop," Chloe told me as I finished getting dressed. We were fairly close to England now, even though Victoria was the only one going back. I knew why she would feel like she had to go back, but I wasn't sure if she really wanted to. I know that I wouldn't have wanted to go back if I was in her shoes. She had obviously cut her hair as some form of rebellion, showing that she wasn't going to let her status and the expectations of others control her completely. I had seen something in her eyes the other day when she had challenged me. It had made me feel things that I had never experienced before. It was like the passion in her had sparked out from her dark green eyes and ignited something in me, bringing to life a part of me that had lain dormant for as long as I could remember.

She was a very beautiful woman, there was no denying that. She always looked focused, putting everything she had into what she was doing in one moment or another. The way her whole body reacted to her emotions like they were uncontrollable was both terrifying and fascinating. I just wished that I could see all of her sides, all the things that made up the fiery Victoria Chase.

"Max." Chloe's voice pulled me from my thoughts, making me blush a little when I realized what I had been thinking about. "What the hell, Max? You've been way spacier than usual lately. Is everything alright?" Her voice had its usual firmness to it, but the edges were softened by what seemed to be the concern. I gave her a smile and shrugged, trying to push the thought of the blond noblewoman aside for now. This was much easier said than done.

"I'm fine, really," I replied, grabbing my boots and pulling them on before reaching for my belt. Chloe had it before I could get to it, though, holding it away from me with the hint of a smirk on her face.

"Come on now, Max," she said slyly, pulling the belt just out of reach as I grabbed for it. "You're always off in your own little world, but it's never this bad. What has you so far off, anyway?" I sighed, making another leap for my belt, only to have Chloe sidestep just in time. I groaned and ran my fingers through my hair.

"It's nothing," I insisted, trying to sound convincing. "Can I please have my belt back so that my trousers don't fall off as soon as I walk onto the deck?"

"Why? I bet your precious Lady Victoria would be very much entertained by seeing you with your pants around your ankles," she joked, making my face grow hot with embarrassment. I was used to Chloe's teasing, but for some reason, I was much more affected by it this time.

"That's ridiculous," I muttered, my voice feeling strained as I tried to get rid of the more explicit thoughts that had popped into my head from Chloe's comment. "Victoria Chase doesn't like women, especially pirate women." Chloe laughed, leaning over for a moment before sighing and shaking her head.

"My poor, naive little Maxine," Chloe said, giving me a slight grin. "You can't tell me that you didn't see the way she was looking at you. Or the fact that she asked you to fight her right after chopping off all of her hair." My hands balled into fists as the memory of that moment flashed before me again.

"Just because she was feeling bold doesn't mean that she fancies me," I replied, crossing my arms under my chest. "That's just stupid." Or at least that's how it felt. Why would Victoria fancy me anyway? She was a noblewoman, destined to be famous and lead a cozy life up in her big expensive house. I was just some pirate girl who had captured her and taken her as a hostage.

"You are so blind," Chloe exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. I barely had enough time to react as she tossed me my belt. "I'll show you. You'll see. The great and noble Victoria Chase has feelings for you, Maxine Caulfield and I'm going to prove it to you."

Eventually Chloe explained that we needed to make a quick stop in France before we went back to England. Apparently, she had received word from a contact there that we could pull off a heist that could get us way too much money for how easy it was. However, I knew that nothing about it would be easy with Chloe Price leading the way. Not to mention that fact that we would either have to leave Victoria and Kate alone on our ship or bring them along for the heist, which neither they nor I would prefer.

"Please, Max," Chloe pleaded, giving me the big puppy dog eyes. I sighed and shook my head.

"Chloe, we can't. We're so close to being done with this whole hostage situation and you and I both know for a fact that we're most wanted in that area of Europe," I explained, looking over the route that I had picked for us to get back to London. Since we had left through going southwest, I had decided to basically make a big circle, causing us to pass by Ireland and the northern coast of England, bringing us down past the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and finally France. All I could really do is hope that we could get out the same way we had before, passing between the southern coast of England and northern bits of Spain, but I wasn't truly sure how that would work out.

"But this could be the big break for us," Chloe insisted, standing across from me and leaning over the table that I had the map setup on. We were standing in the shade of one of the sails, the wind lazily pulling the Arcadia towards her destination.

"I thought the map that got us into this mess was our big break," I replied, not looking up from the maps that were laid out before me. The map that Victoria had given us was small and intricate, showing islands that I could only guess were near the Caribbean or the southern coast of Africa or maybe even Australia. Either way, we'd be sailing for quite some time.

"You're sassy for someone who's speaking to their captain," Chloe grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest, a slight pout tugging at her lips. I shook my head, laughing a little when I looked up at her.

"Just because you're the captain of this ship doesn't mean you're in charge," I retorted, laughing when Chloe's face contorted into indignation. I was pulled from my current situation when I saw Kate and Victoria walking along the deck, Victoria smiling a little as Kate talked excitedly about something I couldn't hear. Victoria had taken to wearing the light, linen under part of her dresses along with a leather vest that she had found below deck, as well as a pair of worn boots. It was far from her usual attire, but I wasn't one to complain. She looked amazing in anything she wore. Kate had started wearing trousers and a tunic like Chloe and I as well as letting her hair down when it was cooler out, letting her dark blond locks flow down her shoulders like a waterfall of honey.

"Fine, I'll just go ask Lady Victoria what she thinks," Chloe replied, pulling me from my thoughts. My gaze flicked to her and she gave me a smirk that I was all too familiar with.

"Chloe, don -" but before I could really protest, Chloe was running toward the two girls, waving at them and stopping in front of them with a giant grin on her face. I walked over the three women, my heart racing a little when Victoria looked up and met my gaze, her eyes shimmering in the sunlight. I couldn't quite tell what she was feeling, but I knew that it wasn't exactly positive.

"Alright, so I was thinking that we could make a stop in France," Chloe said, having waited to speak until I had made my way over to them. "Max and I have some business that we need to attend to there. Would you ladies be alright with that?" Victoria's eyes seemed to light up at Chloe's words, but the light was gone before I could tell if it had actually happened. She straightened, standing to her fullest height while trying to look uninterested in Chloe's idea. Chloe was the tallest out of the four of us, but Victoria seemed to be the most intimidating. Well, in my opinion at least. I had just known Chloe too long to be scared of her anymore.

"Oh, Victoria's always wanted to go to France," Kate said excitedly, giving her friend a big smile. Victoria just cleared her throat and avoided everyone's eyes. "That would be so much fun, wouldn't it? We should definitely go. Especially if you and Max have business you need to take care of." Chloe turned to me, giving me a grin. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Chloe turned back to Kate, kissing her on the cheek, causing Kate to blush and rub her hands together nervously.

"You're simply precious, my dear," Chloe said softly, turning to me. "So it's settled then. To France!"

So we changed our course, heading toward France. I was up late that night, practicing my knife throwing since I hadn't had a chance to use that skill in some time. Recently, Chloe and I had taken to a no-kill approach when we were fighting certain groups. We didn't fight only bad people all the time. Sometimes the people we stole from didn't deserve it, sometimes they did, but either way, that wasn't for us to decide all the time. If we were stealing from someone who we thought were decent people, we stuck to our no-kill policy, only taking a life when it was essential to our own survival. But that doesn't mean that I hadn't taken my fair share of lives before. Sometimes I meant to, sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I knew that people would die and had planned for them to pass by my hand, other times it had just sort of happened and I had moved on.

My parents had often told me that death came for us all whether we deserved it or not. They had told me never to be afraid of death and to never expect that the people I loved would outlive me. However, they had also told me to save what lives I could, letting those that could make it slip by my blade as long as it didn't endanger my own life. So, that's how I lived, sparing those I could and hoping that I could save the people I loved if they needed me to. Right now, the only person that really applied to was Chloe. She was my only family, the only person that I truly cared about. Perhaps that was why I was so hesitant to acknowledge my feelings for Victoria. Maybe I was scared that I wouldn't be able to save more than one person if something bad happened to them. I suppose that watching your parents die tended to result in a small, slightly pathetic hero complex when it came to saving the people you cared for most.

"You have a good aim," a voice broke through my thoughts, making me jump. I whirled around to see Victoria standing a few feet away from me, her tunic being tugged against her body by the night breeze. She normally didn't wear trousers and a tunic, but she was in that moment for a reason that I couldn't understand yet. I was suddenly very aware of how sweaty I was from the training I had done that night, feeling surprisingly self-conscious. I moved my bangs out of my face with my left hand, the throwing knife I had been about to throw still clutched in my right hand.

"Thank you," I managed, looking down at the small blade. I heard Victoria take a few steps toward me, taking the knife from me and examining it with an expert eye. She twirled it between her fingers before tossing it toward my target, the blade stabbing into the straw with ease. I felt as though I should've been more surprised, but how could I have been? I had seen Victoria fight before and had now fought against her twice. Sure I had won both times, but that didn't change the fact that she was an amazing fighter.

"So, you're ok with us going to France for a week?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the way her bright hair shimmered in the moonlight that reflected off of the ocean's surface or the way her tunic hugged her curves. Victoria shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest, meeting my eyes for a moment.

"I've always wanted to go," she replied simply, walking toward the target and looking over what I had done so far. It wasn't my best target practice of all time, but it wasn't really bad, either. Not to mention that I'd already done quite a few other exercises before moving on to target practice.

"You haven't been?" I asked, staying where I was. I watched the way her body moved beneath her clothes, wondering how long she had trained and how many scars she had. Perhaps she had none, maybe she had never been part of a real battle before that day we had first met. She just shook her head, pulling a throwing knife out of the target with ease.

"My father said that he would take me one day, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it's never going to happen," she said as she turned back to me. She was surprisingly calm, her face lax with a mixture of exhaustion and what looked an awful lot like relaxation. But why was she so relaxed? Just the other day she had been at my throat, practically begging me to fight her. As though she had read my mind, she continued, meeting my gaze. Her eyes were almost haunting in the moonlight. "You still owe me another fight, Maxine." I chuckled to avoid acknowledging the slight tingling I felt in my chest when she said my name. I usually hated when people called me by my full name. So why did it make me want to giggle when Victoria said it? Maybe it was the way it rolled off her tongue like it was some sort of title. She was one of the only people I had ever known to call me by my full name for so long. Usually, people caught onto the fact that I hated it. Maybe she knew that and just did it to get under my skin.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. Was she serious?

"I want another chance to beat you," she said as she made her way toward me, a look in her eyes that made my insides turn to jelly and my knees feel weak. Before I could react, she was standing in front of me, her body just inches away from mine. I looked up into her eyes and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. Whether it was from fear or something else I still didn't understand, I didn't know. But I did know that I felt the sudden urge to lean forward but also to run away.

"I - I don't think that's such a good idea," I stammered, unable to tear my gaze away from hers. She leaned forward until her lips brushed against my ear, her breath gently colliding with my skin and sending a wave of heat through my entire body. I felt my knees start to shake underneath me. Was this real? Why was she so close to me? Why did I like it? Why did I want her closer?

"Why? Are you afraid of me, Maxine Caulfield?" She whispered, her voice low and kind of frightening. I swallowed hard, feeling my cheeks get hot. My name escaped her lips and hit me right in the chest, filling my body with a warmth that I didn't understand but wanted more of.

"Of course not," I replied weakly, hating the fact that my voice shook as I spoke. She pulled away, smirking at me in a way that made me feel like a deer that had been cornered by a hungry lion. I felt like I was staring death in the face in a totally different way than I had in almost every other battle I had ever fought. This was different because this time my life wasn't really at stake. This time it was something that could hurt me far worse than death ever could. Something that scared me more than anything else.

"Good," she replied, putting her hand on my shoulder as she walked past me, making my skin tingle even though there was a layer of fabric between her fingertips and my skin. She paused, moving to whisper in my ear again. "I'll let you know when I'm ready for round three." Then she was gone, her hand no longer on my shoulder, but my whole body was still tense. I stood out there on the deck for a little while, wondering what the hell had just happened. Was Chloe right? Did Victoria have feelings for me? Or was I just losing my mind?


	11. Chapter 11

Kate's POV

Chloe and I hadn't kissed since the other night. She had said that she hadn't wanted to pressure me into anything, especially since I had seemed sort of unsure about the whole thing, to begin with. I hadn't told Victoria about the kiss because I hadn't wanted her to become angry with me for doing something like that with someone I barely knew. But it had just been so right. Even though I had been afraid and hadn't wanted to take things that far because I was afraid of where it would take me, it hadn't been bad in the slightest. I had actually been much happier since, to be quite honest. The only real downside that I had found was that I was staying with Chloe and Victoria was going back to England alone. Or, that's what I had assumed at least.

Victoria had seemed oddly rebellious since the day I'd told her that I was staying. She was usually stubborn and had a short fuse, even on her good days. But I hadn't expected her to cut her hair or start acting so strangely towards Max. I had decided not to bother her about it because I didn't want to make her angry or assume anything. From what I could tell, she just really seemed to hate Max more than anything else. Or, that's what I had thought until I was sitting and talking with the two pirate women.

Max and I were sitting behind Chloe as she steered the ship, even though we all knew very well that she only ever steered the ship when she felt like she wanted to or the ship was under attack. Max had told me about Chloe's seemingly miraculous ability to sail, but I had never really seen those skills used before now. Chloe had her blue hair pulled back in a small ponytail, a small amount of sweat soaking through her white tunic and making it stick to her back in some places. It was far too hot to be sitting out in the sun, but there we were, listening to Chloe moan and groan about how hot it was while I wondered why Victoria had suddenly been acting so strange.

"Max," I said, pulling the girl's attention from whatever she had been thinking about. She looked over at me, her eyebrows raised a little as she leaned back on her hands, her legs crossed as she smiled at me a little. Her cheeks had turned a little red and it made me wonder if the sun was starting to get to her. It had almost seemed like more and more freckles appeared on her face by the minute as the sun beat down on her.

"Yes?" She asked, obviously trying to sound more attuned to what was happening than she felt.

"Have you noticed how strange Victoria's been acting?" I asked, trying to get a second opinion. Max obviously didn't know Victoria as well as I did, but I thought that it would be good to hear what she thought about the whole thing. As soon as I asked, her cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of pink and it wasn't from the sun.

"You mean she hasn't always acted like a lunatic?" Chloe cut in before Max could reply, looking back at us and motioning for a crew member to steer the ship as she sat down cross-legged beside me. "Not to sound harsh, but she has been kind of a bitch this whole time. Especially to Max." I flinched a little when Chloe cursed, making her features soften a little as she sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"It's fine," I replied, feeling a little bad because, even though I loved Victoria like she was my own sister, I couldn't help agreeing that she had been extremely rude to Max. "She's not normally so… High strong."

"Well, we can't exactly blame her for not wanting to be a saint to us, Chloe," Max said, looking away as soon as Chloe and I looked at her. It almost sounded like she was defending Victoria. I felt my heart swell a little at that. Max was such a kind person, even when others were unkind to her. "We probably aren't her favorite people. I mean, we locked her and Kate into a cell for Christ's sake. Sorry about that by the way, Kate." I couldn't help giggling at that last part. It almost felt like it had never happened or had happened so long ago that it almost didn't matter anymore. The three of us had gotten along so well that I just trusted them. Plus, time felt oddly distorted out at sea. Days felt far longer than usual and nights always felt too short to ever sleep well.

"It's alright," I replied, leaning my head on Chloe's shoulder and wrapping my arm around hers, resisting the urge to put my hand on her bicep. "Water under the bridge, as they say."

"Wait, has Victoria talked to you about Max at all?" Chloe asked, looking down at me. I looked back up at her, thinking for a moment.

"Aside from some…" I paused, stealing a glance over at Max who seemed to be blushing again as she fidgeted uncomfortably. "From some insults and searching through her drawers when we first used her room, she hasn't said much about you or Max."

"She looked through my drawers?" Max exclaimed, her eyes wide as she leaned forward, watching me with shock in her eyes. I cleared my throat and looked away from her.

"Well, yes, but she didn't steal anything," I muttered, wishing I could take back what I had said and make it seem like it had never happened. I had a feeling that Victoria would not be happy if she found out that I had told anyone that particular detail. Max buried her face in her hands, letting out an embarrassed groan as Chloe started laughing.

"I knew it!" Chloe laughed, ruffling Max's hair as she caught her breath and stopped laughing.

"Knew what?" I asked, feeling a little out of the loop. Whatever it was must have been obvious, though, because Chloe looked at me with a softness in her eyes that made me blush. I looked away, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't just stare at me, tell me for goodness sake." Even Max managed to giggle at that, despite her seemingly extreme embarrassment. Chloe wrapped her arm around my shoulder and kissed my cheek, making my entire face grow hotter, but relaxing me a little as a warmth spread through my chest at the affection.

"Would you care to explain, Max?" Chloe asked, throwing Max one of those smirks that I was pretty sure could charm the sea itself into submission. Max blushed again and sighed, rubbing her face.

"Chloe thinks that Victoria has… Feelings for me," she said simply, her face growing an even darker shade of red as she spoke if such a thing were possible. Her poor freckled cheeks looked as though they would melt from her own embarrassment. I couldn't help giggling a little, though.

"Well, it doesn't sound impossible," I said, feeling only slightly surprised at the idea. I hadn't really expected it, but I could see how her behavior would lead people to such a conclusion. Chloe hopped to her feet and did a little fist pump, pointing to Max as the blue haired woman grinned triumphantly.

"I knew it," she chuckled, leaning down and kissing me on the lips, my heart stopping for a moment as I sat there, frozen in surprise. But her lips were gone as fast as they had come, pulling away from me with a sheepish smile on her face. Max stared on in awe, apparently having been just as shocked as I was. "I - I'm sorry, Kate, I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to startle you in any way." I felt something in me soften as she spoke, my surprise melting away from my previously stiffened muscles. I stood, smiling at Chloe as softly as I could, taking her hands in mine and squeezing them to show her that I wasn't upset.

"It's alright," I said, giggling a little when I saw the way her cheeks had gone pink. I kissed her cheek and she smiled at me, taking my hand to her lips and kissing it gently.

"What the hell just happened?" Max cut in, standing and walking over. "Why are you both acting so weird?" Chloe chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head.

"Well, Kate and I had kissed a few days ago and I guess I had just gotten a little overzealous," Chloe replied, looking at the ground. I had never imagined that Captain Chloe Price would be so bashful. I took her hand in mine and brought it up so that her arm was wrapped around my shoulders, suddenly feeling far more bold than usual.

"I truly didn't expect you to act so shyly about such things," I said, leaning against her. She smiled down at me and pulled me close, kissing the top of my head.

"I'll be less shy about it if that's what you want," she replied, the smirk on her face and the lowness of her voice sending small shivers down my spine. I felt her hand slide down to the small of my back, making my heart skip a beat. There was this look in her eyes that filled my chest with something that I couldn't name, but it also filled me with fear. I had never felt this so strongly before. It was almost like I wanted to give her everything, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Everything that mattered, if she wanted it then I would give it to her without a second thought. And that was terrifying to me. But it also made me want to kiss her and kind of made me want to take off her clothes.

"Wowers," Max cut in, staring at us with a smile on her face that made me blush. I looked away, resisting the urge to bury my face in Chloe's tunic. "Well, I'll leave you two alone so that you can work out whatever is going on here."

"Why, so you can go get your ass kicked by Victoria?" Chloe teased, making Max blush. The brown haired girl let out a mock laugh before walking away, her hands clenched into fists as she walked towards the doors that lead below deck. I looked up at Chloe to find her smiling down at me.

"You're sure you're alright with this?" She asked softly, her features suddenly growing serious. I felt my own features screw together in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked, only realizing what she meant as she reached out and took the small golden cross I wore around my neck into her hand, running her thumb across its shining surface.

"I know that most people who believe in things like Christianity aren't exactly in favor of people who fall for someone with the same private bits as them," she said with a small smirk to lighten the topic a little. I giggled and slowly closed her fingers around the cross, bringing her closed fist to my lips and kissing it softly.

"My God loves everyone," I said softly, staring up into soft, azure eyes. "No matter what bits they or their loved ones have." Chloe chuckled at that, smiling at me.

"You really are adorable, you know," she said, leaning down and kissing my cheek. I felt my cheeks growing warm and that odd hot feeling that pulsed in my core only persisted. I reached up, cupping her cheeks in my hands and pulling her down into a kiss. As our lips met, I let my hands slide from her cheeks until they were gently tangled in her hair. She pulled me close, her arms wrapped around my waist. I pressed myself closer to her, feeling her gently graze her teeth against my bottom lip. I felt something in me pulse, sending a wave of warmth through my entire body. Just as I was about to part my lips, a voice broke through my blissful state.

"Kate?" Victoria's voice sounded strange. Like she was trying to be firm, but she was hurt as well. I spun around, seeing her standing there with wide eyes for a moment before she regained herself. She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing as she looked from me to Chloe and back again. "So, is this why you decided to stay? So that you could make love to some disgusting pirate instead of coming home?" The words hit me harder than I expected, almost making me flinch.

"Victoria, I -" but she cut me off, waving her hand dismissively as she turned around and walked away.

"Don't start, Kate," she said, her voice sharp. "Don't bother coming to the room tonight. The door will be locked when you get there. If you love this… this criminal so much then you can sleep with her and leave me alone." I felt my chest tighten and I reached out to grab her, but she was gone before I could speak. I felt something in my chest break, maybe it was my heart. I'm not really sure. All I know is that it hurt more than anything I had ever felt before.

"Victoria," I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes and a lump growing in my throat. I felt Chloe's hand on my shoulder and her soft voice seemed to break through to my mind even when the sounds of everything else seemed to have faded into nothingness.

"Don't worry, she just needs some time to cool off," Chloe said softly, slowly wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me close from behind. I let out a sob, turning in her arms until I could bury my face in her tunic. All I could do was pray that Chloe was right. Victoria was my best friend. She was practically my sister. The last thing I wanted was for her to be angry with me when she finally went home. Then I would never see her again because Lord knows that Victoria Chase can hold a grudge. Losing Victoria would be worse than losing my mother because at least Victoria loved me enough to make sacrifices for me. I had to find a way to make it so that she wasn't angry with me. I had to.


	12. Chapter 12

Chloe's POV

It started out slow, the pace gradually picking up as I gently bit down on Kate's bottom lip. She let out a soft gasp, making me smirk a little despite myself. She was so warm underneath me, her chest rising and falling so quickly against mine that I was sure she would burst. I had my hands running down her sides, gently tugging at the hem of her tunic. She tensed a little and I pulled away, looking down to see one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen in my entire life.

Kate was staring up at me with wide, hazel eyes that seemed to be glazed over in what I already recognized as a mixture of fear and desire. But there was something else mixed in there that I had only ever seen when I had done things like this with Rachel. I think it was love or at least a sense of caring, but it seemed too good to be true, even when it came from Kate who was one of the most loving people on the face of the planet. Her lips were parted as she panted, trying to catch her breathe. She was so cute like that, her hair already slightly messy from what little we'd done. But even though this was fun, I couldn't help feeling guilty. My stomach was tying itself in knots thinking that Kate might not want to do this.

"Kate, you know we can stop if you're too scared," I said gently, leaning down and gently pressing my lips to her forehead. "I don't want to force you to do this. You can say no. I won't hate you if this isn't what you want."

"I want this," she said breathlessly, her voice sounding strange like she was under water. For a moment, everything went dark and all I could hear was Kate's voice. It was low and breathy at first, getting louder and louder. It took me a moment before I realized that she was saying my name over and over again. Except, she wasn't saying it, she was moaning it.

"Chloe," she breathed and I felt someone touch my shoulder, but I couldn't see anything. I could feel my insides getting hot, practically melting as pure arousal filled my entire body at the sound of my name on Kate's lips. Why were my eyes closed? I wanted to see this, I wanted to feel every part of this. I wanted Kate to know just how much I cared about her, even if this was one of the only ways I knew how to express it.

"Kate," I murmured, my voice barely able to escape my lips.

"Chloe!"

I was jolted awake, panting as I looked around the room, looking up to see a concerned looking Kate with her hand on my shoulder. I sat there for a moment, feeling my brows furrow as I looked at her. My mind felt foggy with sleep, but I could still feel the effects of such a dream pulsing through my veins in that moment.

"Are you alright?" Kate asked, grabbing my attention. I blinked a couple times, shaking my head to clear it of the thoughts that threatened to redden my cheeks.

"What? Oh, yeah, totally fine," I replied, trying to smile it off. But in reality, my heart was pounding so hard against my rib cage that it hurt and my insides felt tingly as hell and my brain was fuzzy with sleep and the left over hormones brought on by the dream.

"You were making strange noises in your sleep," she said, her eyes filled with concern as she bothered her bottom lip between her teeth. Fuck, she was cute. Hella cute. Way too cute for her own good, to be quite honest. Her hair was still down, the way she always had it when she went to bed for the night, and her face had this glow to it. I wasn't sure if it was from the rays of sunlight that shone through the window reflecting off of her hair and giving her this radiant look, or if it was just her. Some people had souls so bright that they shone through for everyone else to see. Max and Kate were those sorts of people, but they also had this strange suffering behind the eyes that only showed itself when the sun had gone down and they became the only light for miles. I had seen Max like that too many times, but I had only seen Kate like that twice and both of those times happened when she thought about leaving Victoria to go home alone. "Were you having some sort of nightmare?"

"Oh, uh, no, not really," I said, getting out of bed and stretching a bit, trying to stall and think of something else to talk about. Anything but that dream. I shouldn't have been thinking about Kate like that anyway. We had only kissed a few times and had only known each other for a month. Although, a month felt like an eternity at sea, I suppose. "How did you sleep?" I asked, smiling down at Kate as convincingly as I could. She gave me a suspicious look, her nose crinkling a little as she gave me a once over with her eyes. I felt my legs wobble a little underneath me from the stare, wishing that there was more behind it than just suspicion and curiosity.

"I slept just fine, thank you," she said, looking at the floor for a moment. Her features were softer now like she was thinking about something. I took a step toward her and kissed the top of her head, smiling when her eyes met mine.

"Everything ok?" I asked, rubbing her arms with my hands to reassure her a little. She hesitated, shrugging a little. I felt my heart ache a bit at the sight. I didn't want Kate to be sad, but I wanted to know what she was sad about so that I could fix it.

"I'm just sort of nervous, that's all," she said finally, giving me a quick glance from under her bangs. I tilted my head a little, feeling slightly confused.

"About what?" I asked, trying to catch her gaze again to see if I could find out anything from her eyes. But she just gave a small laugh and shrugged my hands off of her shoulders before turning away from me.

"It's nothing, I'm just being silly," she replied, walking towards the door. "We're almost to the port, you might want to get dressed, Captain Price." She said it as she walked out of the cabin, leaving me to stare after her with a mixture of anxiety and hurt sitting at the bottom of my stomach like a rock. I decided that I would ask her what was wrong after we had all settled in and Max and I had gotten our plan together for the upcoming heist. It could wait until then. Right?

We docked the Arcadia and only took our weapons, maps of the area and what clothes we needed along with some money for an inn and food. It was noon when we stepped off the ship, a slight breeze pleasantly brushing against my arms and face. It was a nicer day than I had expected it to be, although I was not ignorant of the storm brewing on the horizon. Men and women walked past us in crowds, speaking all types of languages considering we were in a fairly popular port. But most of them were speaking French. Without the breeze, the air was hot as the sun reflected off of windows and buildings. The sounds weren't deafening, but it was louder than most cities I'd been in.

"So where are we headed?" Max asked, stepping up beside me as she examined our surroundings. It had been some time since Max and I had been on a heist. We'd mostly been running around to avoid running into anyone who wanted us dead.

"Well, first thing's first," I said, stopping and standing so that I was facing all three of my companions. "We need to find an inn and get settled. I'll be meeting my contact tonight and then Max and I will make our plan of attack tomorrow. The heist isn't until tomorrow night so we'll have some time to kill."

"What are Kat-" Victoria paused, clearing her throat and then composing herself. "What am I supposed to do?" She continued, her voice making me cringe slightly from the correction. My gaze fell on Kate, noticing how her shoulders hunched a little and her hazel eyes clouded, her features falling a little.

"I could show you around the city if you'd like," Max offered, looking shyly at Victoria, forcing me to bite down on my bottom lip to hold back a grin. I shot Kate a look, hoping it would make her feel a little better to see Max trying so hard to impress Victoria.

"And Katie can come see my contact with me," I added, giving her a smile. She blushed a little, obviously resisting a smile as I winked at her. "We can go to dinner afterward, go see the sights."

"I would like that," Kate replied, taking a step towards me and kissing me on the cheek. I saw Victoria practically steaming out of the corner of my eyes. I threw her a smirk before gently wrapping my arms around Kate's waist and kissing her softly, feeling her relax a little in my arms. I smiled into the kiss before pulling away and smiling down at the golden haired girl. She was blushing even darker than before, smiling shyly at me.

"Me too," I replied, intertwining our fingers and looking back at Max and Victoria. Max was looking at the ground nervously like she had just witnessed something too personal, while Victoria looked like she wanted to rip my head off. "Now, let's get going. We should hurry so we can settle in before we go out tonight."

So we walked to the Belle Luna inn, a small place with sun bleached walls and brown windowpanes. The air was thick when I opened the door, but I forced myself inside. I slammed the door open, trying to bring as much attention to myself as I could. I held back a satisfied smirk as the few people drinking at the bar and scattered tables turned their gazes toward me, taking me in with confused and shocked stares. The smell of alcohol and sweat along with dirty dish water were almost suffocating, but I pressed on, being greeted by a small woman with tired eyes once I was about ten steps into the building.

"Bonjour, comment puis-je vous aider?" The woman asked, taking me slightly off guard. I only spoke English and Spanish, so French was a little lost on me. I looked over to Max who shrugged, looking just as lost as me. I heard an irritated sigh from behind me and Victoria pushed past me, completely ignoring my indignant scoff as she approached the small woman.

"Je suis désolé pour ces idiots. Nous aimerions deux chambres , s'il vous plaît," Victoria said, my mind feeling as though it were being twisted a little just from hearing something spoken so quickly. I turned to Max and then Kate who looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"Did she just call us idiots?" I asked Max whose eyes were glued to Victoria, her mouth hanging open a little as she listened to the fancy words roll off of her tongue with ease. Kate gave a tiny giggle from behind me and I shook my head, holding in a laugh. Victoria and the small woman talked some more and before I knew what was happening, Victoria grabbed my bag of money out of my hand and started counting out coins. With a frustrated sigh, she turned to me and handed me most of my money.

"We don't have enough money for two rooms," she said, turning back to the woman and handing her the coins for the room and thanking her, I think.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling that most of my money was still in the leather pouch in my palm. "There's still plenty of money in here."

"If you want to take Kate out to eat then we're only getting one room," she retorted, flashing me a look that confused me a little. It was almost like she was expecting me to fight her on that.

"Chloe, we can get two rooms," Kate said, stepping up beside me. "We don't have to go out to dinner."

"Just leave it, Kate," Victoria snapped, her fists balled up so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "It's not the end of the world if someone has to sleep on the floor." She shot me another look as she said that last part, making me chuckle because Victoria definitely had some stones. Kate looked like she wanted to argue, but she just pressed her lips into a hard line. I licked my lips a little because my mouth had gone dry from watching the way Kate's features tightened when she was annoyed. It was alluring in a way, but also scary. I just took her hand in mine and kissed it, giving her a smile that seemed to make her relax a little.

"Droit de cette façon, s'il vous plaît," the woman said, motioning for us to follow her. Victoria took off after her first, Max's gaze still fixed on the blond woman in pure fascination. It was like the fancy words had hypnotized the poor girl. I chuckled and clapped my hand down on her shoulder to get her focused.

"Start walking before you start drooling, Caulfield," I said playfully, making Max blush as she shook her head. It was almost like she was trying to get rid of whatever she was thinking about altogether.

I felt bad for Max to be honest. She was obviously totally falling for Victoria and that was a rare thing to see when it came to Max. She didn't let herself fall most of the time, or at least had never had the desire to for anyone else. It was strange watching her pine over someone that probably wasn't going to be in her life for much longer. After these few days in France, we'd take Victoria back to England where she'd live the rest of her life in luxury, probably only remembering Max for the purpose of holding a grudge. I was scared for Max, I didn't want her to get hurt. That's when I decided to have a talk with Victoria about all this. But in that moment, I just took Kate's hand, gave her a smile and followed the blond noble woman and the brunette pirate up to our shared room. Hopefully, they would at least have two beds.


	13. Chapter 13

Victoria's POV

My chest felt so tight that it was hard to breathe, let alone speak. I wasn't exactly a calm, even-tempered person like Kate. I had a short fuse and high expectations and it was hard not to get angry when someone or something didn't live up to my expectations. Kate deserved better than Captain Chloe Price of the Arcadia, of that much I was certain. And Chloe definitely didn't deserve Kate. Kate was ten times the woman that Chloe would ever be. Plus, Chloe had somehow convinced Kate to leave everything she'd known behind like it had all been for nothing. She took Kate and made her believe that the two of them could be happy and live together as jolly pirates, sailing into the sunset like some sort of fairytale.

But life wasn't like that. Real life was hard and sometimes you had to make choices you didn't want to make or do things that you really didn't want to do. Being human and making a life for yourself that was worth living meant you had to sacrifice what you wanted. It made me furious to think that Chloe had somehow managed to convince Kate that she could just run away from all of her responsibilities and everything would be just fine. That wasn't how things worked, she couldn't just forget the life she'd lived in England simply because it didn't suit her.

"Victoria," Kate murmured, pulling me from my thoughts as I put away our clothes in the old dresser under the window. I stay as focused as I could on folding the tunic in my hands, even though it was taking all of my willpower not to rip the stupid thing in half. It was Max's, though and she had only brought two, one of which she was currently wearing.

"What?" I asked, letting a bit of irritation seep into my tone. I wasn't looking at her, but I could tell that Kate was tense, wringing her hands together nervously as she watched me.

"Well, it's just that usually, I'm the one who folds the clothes," she said softly, shifting uncomfortably somewhere behind me. I felt my hands ball into fists around the soft fabric and I had to take a deep breath to keep myself from saying something I might regret, like how much I hated the fact that Kate thought she was still some sort servant to me. Max and Chloe had gone to check on the crew and wouldn't be back until just before sunset. I had hoped that Kate would keep quiet until they got back. I wasn't sure if I could handle her trying to talk to me about any of what was happening.

"You're not a servant, Kate," I replied simply, doing everything in my power to keep myself from gritting my teeth as I spoke. "And I'm not completely useless. So if you would please leave me alone, I would greatly appreciate it." There was a pause and I could feel Kate eyeing me anxiously. Like I was some sort of explosive.

"Can we just talk for a minute?" She asked, her voice quiet and sort of pathetic. I hated this. She was Kate, for fuck's sake. She was my best friend and here I was totally ignoring her. Not that it would matter to her soon. She'd be off in the tropics, drinking all day and sleeping with that blue haired woman until she either died in some fight or got thrown in prison for being a pirate.

"Why?" I asked, tossing the tunic into the drawer and spinning around to face her. She flinched a little, but I didn't back down. "Why in God's name would we need to talk? Don't you have Chloe and Max for that now?" It sounded pettier than I'd wanted it to, but it had the desired effect. Kate deflated, avoiding my gaze.

"I don't want things to be like this between us," she whispered, the way her voice shook a little tugging at my heart. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hold my ground.

"Like what?" I asked, watching her. I had to stay firm. It would be better this way. Maybe if I pushed her away it wouldn't hurt when I never got to see her again.

"Please, Victoria," she pleaded, looking up at me again. Jesus, this was going to be harder than I thought. She had that wilted look in her eyes, her brow lax and sad. "I don't want you to be angry at me. How can I fix this?" The question took me off guard, even though I know it shouldn't have. Of course, Kate would think this was her fault and try to make things right. Well, I hadn't exactly given her the idea that me being angry wasn't her fault. In a way, it was, but I had stopped being angry at her an hour after I'd seen her kiss Chloe. Now I was just angry with myself for being upset that she wasn't coming back with me to England. That she wasn't coming home.

"Why would you want to fix this?" I asked, letting my hands fall my sides and ball into fists. I took a step toward her and her eyes widened, staring up at me in surprise. But she didn't move away from me. "You're the one who's leaving. You're the one who fell for some pirate and didn't tell me. What did I do wrong, huh?" My voice was rising in volume, but I didn't care. Maybe if I made it clear how angry I was then she would leave me alone and stop making me care about her.

"Victoria, I can make my own choices -" she started, but I cut in again, taking another step toward her so that I was in her personal space.

"No, Kate," I growled. "I'm done, alright? You were one of the only people I ever cared about and now you're leaving me all alone because some stranger offered you the illusion of a freedom that doesn't exist. And the worst part is that you fell for it. You actually think that this criminal loves you. This murderer holds you and kisses you and whispers sweet things to you to make you feel good, but in the end, she'll leave you in the dust the way she's probably done with countless others. And then you'll be all alone and I'll be far away, too far away to protect you or make you feel better when she breaks your heart." Kate was silent then, her eyes filled with tears. She reached out her hand to take mine, but I moved away, moving past her towards the door. "Have fun on all of your adventures, Kate. I hope that she's worth ruining your life."

I didn't wait for her to respond, I just walked out the door and slammed it as hard as I could behind me, anger boiling in my chest like lava. I didn't feel any better as I walked out onto the streets, looking around to see the sun slowly setting on the horizon behind dark clouds that'd been slowly approaching the coast since we'd arrived. Max and Chloe would be back any minute now. I stomped down the street, ignoring the stares I was getting from other people and the slight aching I felt when I remembered the way Kate had looked at me, the way she'd tried to reach out to me.

"Hey!" A voice called out, pulling my attention somewhere to my right. I stopped in my tracks, finding the source of the voice. Just the person I wanted to beat to a bloody pulp. Chloe. "Where's Kate? Why did you leave the inn?" She asked, sounding a little too high and mighty like she was in control of where I was and wasn't allowed to go.

"I'm not your prisoner, Price," I retorted, standing up to my full height as she made her way toward me. She was still taller than me, but I had intimidated full grown businessmen before. Chloe Price wasn't immune to a solid stance and fiery eyes. Max was just behind her, looking at me curiously.

"No, but you are Kate's friend," she responded, crossing her arms over her chest. "What the hell is wrong with you, anyways? You look like you're ready to explode or something." I clenched my fists at my sides, staring up into azure eyes. I couldn't help wondering how long it had taken Kate to get lost in them, maybe even drown in them.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, my voice shaky and low. I was barely able to get the words out of my mouth past the lump that had formed in my throat.

"Do what?" Chloe asked, looking genuinely confused for once. It took everything I had not to punch her right in the jaw, but I managed to restrain myself somehow.

"Why did you make Kate stay with you?" I asked, feeling my body begin to shake with barely contained fury and unshed tears. "Why did you make her fall for you?" There was a long pause after I spoke, Chloe staring down at me and me staring right back at her while Max looked between us both. Part of me wondered what was stopping her from getting between us, we were well into each other's personal space now, close enough to land any hit we wanted on each other.

"I'm sorry to say that I didn't make Kate do anything," Chloe replied, sounding surprisingly calm. "She's the one who decided to stay. I just extended the offer."

"But why would you do that?" My fists were clenched so tightly that my knuckles were turning white, my anger ready to boil over.

"Because she deserved to be able to make her own choices for once, that's why," she practically growled, her calm demeanor fading fast. How long would it take me to break her resolve? How many sharp words and angry glares or well-placed blows would it take for me to break Chloe Price and turn her into a monster? She wasn't the type to lose her cool and turn into a blubbering fool. No, Chloe would turn into something far more frightening when pushed to her limits, I'm sure.

"You had no right to offer her something like that," I said, managing to reign myself in a little as I saw Chloe letting go of her relaxed state. "You offered her something that she can't have."

"And what is that exactly?" Chloe asked, glaring at me. I could practically see her emotions writhing behind her eyes, fighting to escape and devour me. "A chance at freedom? A life that isn't controlled by selfish women and evil men?" I smirked a little despite myself, enjoying the way I was slowly making her fall into my trap. Maybe if Kate saw her like this, then she'd come back with me and forget about these people forever.

"You offered her a life without worry or responsibility," I said sharply, crossing my arms over my chest to match the tall woman's stance. "You offered her a love that you can't give her. You're no better than the mud under a poor man's boot and you know it. You know you could never be good enough for someone like Kate and yet, here you are, trying to getting her hopes up and making her believe that you're worthy of her." I felt my voice rising in volume before I heard it. I was losing control of myself again.

"Oh, you're one to talk," she shouted, jabbing her finger against my chest, almost making me stagger back in surprise as she stared into my eyes, her fist clenched at her side. "You wanna talk about making someone you don't deserve fall for you? Well what about Max, huh? What about all that stupid, flirty shit you've been doing to get her attention? Taking off your dress in front of her, making her spar against you, looking through her stuff!" I recoiled at that, taking a step back. I looked away from Chloe for a moment to look at Max who was staring at both of us with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open a little. Chloe stepped between Max and me, pulling my gaze to hers again. "No! Don't you dare even look at her! You think that I don't deserve Kate? Well, you're right, but at least I'm not just using her as my little plaything and messing with her feelings like some sort of psychopath!"

"You have no right to shout at me!" I practically screamed, barely stopping myself from shoving her as I took a step toward her. "I have done nothing wrong and I have certainly never done anything that should make anyone think that I could ever have feelings for a pirate." I let every last drop of venom I could seep into my words. I said the last word like it was a curse, the title of a monster.

"I have half a mind to rip your pretty little head off, Chase," Chloe growled, her eyes fiery.

"I could kick your beanpole ass, Price," I retorted, about to make a move when Max suddenly shoved Chloe back, looking back and forth between the two of us with a look in her eyes that I'd never seen before. It almost looked like she was on the verge of tears, but it was hard to tell as the sun shed its last rays of light over the rooftops.

"Stop it! Just stop!" She cried out, holding Chloe and I back by placing one hand on each of our chests. I froze, shocked by her fierce tone and the way tears shimmered against her cheeks as she looked down at the cobblestone road beneath our feet, her hair hanging loosely around her face as she took a few deep breaths. "This is ridiculous. Neither of you has any right to say any of those things. Just because we came from different places and grew up differently doesn't mean that we have to be on opposite sides all the time." She let her hand fall from my chest and Chloe's standing up straight and looking up at Chloe who had a stunned look on her face like she'd never seen Max do something like this before. "You shouldn't have accused Victoria of messing with me. She hasn't been. It's obvious that she doesn't have feelings for me and that's what I've been telling you all along." My heart clenched at the words, making me fight against something that swirled in my gut like a whirlpool.

"Max, you can't be serious -" Chloe began to protest, but Max cut her off, surprising us both again.

"I am serious, Chloe," she replied, her tone firm. "I know that she wasn't exactly kind just now, nor has she been since we met her, but she deserves a chance just as much as you do." I only felt a little bit offended at her comment because I knew it was true. I had been everything from civilly disinterested to slightly rude and petty, but rarely kind to anyone except Kate. Well, until recently anyway. Chloe let out a huff and glared at me before looking back down at Max.

"Fine, I'm going back to the inn to check on Kate," Chloe said, looking back at me again. "We're not done with this discussion, Victoria. Not by a long shot."

"Bet your ass we're not," I retorted as she turned to walk away. I watched her walk away for a moment before I suddenly felt myself deflate. I hardly noticed that Max was still standing in front of me until I felt her staring at me. I brought my gaze to hers and she quickly looked away, rubbing her elbow nervously.

"You're not going with her?" I asked, kind of hoping that she would stay. She shrugged, acting like the cobblestone road was the most interesting thing in all of France.

"Well, I did promise to show you the sights, didn't I?" She gave me a shy smile as she spoke, turning my insides to jelly. I smiled despite myself, feeling surprisingly calm for once in the past month or so.

"You have a point there," I replied, taking a deep breath and looking around at the darkening city. Candles and street lights had been lit, giving everything the light touched a golden glow. "Where should we go first?" I asked, stopping myself from asking about why she had defended me. It was best to move on from it. It would be easier to go home if I just ignored this twisting feeling in my gut and the way my heart wanted to leap out of my chest.

"Anywhere you want," she said, a genuine smile making her eyes sparkle in the light of a streetlamp. I felt almost like I had seen those eyes before.

Just a few more nights and then you'll be home and you can forget about them, I reminded myself. But as I walked down the street with Max at my side, thinking about where we would go and what sort of things I would see with her, I almost didn't want to forget.


	14. Chapter 14

Max's POV

It was harder to see the stars in a place like France, especially in the cities. But I didn't really need the stars that night. Watching the way Victoria looked at her surroundings was dazzling enough for me. She was so fascinated by everything she saw, it was so hypnotizing to watch. It took everything I had not to stare at her all night.

"How long have you known French?" I asked, trying to put the argument from earlier out of my mind. Did Victoria really think that Chloe had tricked Kate into staying with us? I would have to ask her later. We were walking away from the city, towards a hill in the middle of a field. We had decided to watch the stars that night and look over the view of the city.

"Ever since I was a child," Victoria replied, her voice pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up at her, watching the way she smiled as if looking back at fond memories. "My fascination with this place began when a dear friend of mine came home from a holiday in Paris. He told me all about the people and the food and the way everyone talked in such an elegant way. I couldn't resist learning everything I could."

"Why hadn't you come here before now, then?" I asked, almost immediately regretting it. I was probably on thin ice as it was after everything that had gone on between her and Chloe earlier. But I couldn't help myself, I wanted to learn everything I could about Victoria before she went back to England. She was one of the most fascinating people I had ever met and I didn't want to forget a single thing about her. But when her features fell from that beautiful smile, I felt my heart sink. She pursed her lips into a hard line and paused for a moment before answering.

"My father had never had the time to send me," she replied simply, but there was more behind it. "He's a busy man and he kept me just as busy." I saw something flash across her face and I couldn't stop myself from apologizing. She breathed a laugh, shaking her head. "Don't be sorry," she told me, her features growing somewhat hard and distant again. I cursed myself internally, wishing I knew the right things to say so that she wouldn't close herself off so easily.

We got to the top of the hill after a while, standing at its top as we looked over the city. Tiny lights flickered in the distance, indicating homes and stores and restaurants full of people having dinner with friends and family. I hadn't had dinner with my family since I was six years old. I barely remembered it so it was hard to miss, but I still felt a slight ache in my chest when I thought about what it would've been like.

"Where are you from, Maxine?" Victoria asked, tearing my focus from the shimmering lights to the unreadable look on her face. Her dark green eyes had small lights reflected in them, reminding me a little of looking up at the trees in the afternoon when rays of sunlight shone through their leaves.

"I grew up in Ireland with Chloe," I replied softly, my voice barely leaving my mouth as I looked at her. She was probably the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life and I wanted to memorize every detail. I knew that, when she left, she'd forget all about me and go on with whatever her life required of her. But, in that moment, I had her all to myself. What was I even supposed to say to her? It was stupid, but I knew that I would miss her as soon as she was gone, but I'd definitely never forget about her.

"How long did you live there?" She asked, looking over to me and giving me a sort of disinterested look like she was asking out of politeness. I chuckled and looked away, blushing a little from being caught staring at her.

"You don't have to fill the silence, you know," I told her, getting her eyes to widen at my response.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her brows furrowing as she stared down at me. God, she was so cute, why was she so cute?

"I just mean that you don't have to ask me questions if you don't want to," I insisted, grabbing onto my elbow nervously. My heart was racing in my chest as I waited for her response. A scoff pierced the silence that had built itself between us and I looked up to meet her eyes again. Victoria crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the horizon, her brows still furrowed as she spoke, almost like she was offended by what I had said.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might actually want to learn more about you?" She asked, ignoring the way I was staring at her in shock. I forced my mouth closed, swallowing hard as I scratched the back of my neck nervously.

"I just didn't think I was that interesting to you," I replied softly, trying to think of something to change the subject before things got worse, but Victoria responded before I could think of anything.

"Chloe wasn't wrong, you know," she said, still not looking at me. My heart skipped a beat, hitting my ribs hard when it started up again. I didn't respond. I couldn't. What did she even mean? "I wasn't trying to use you, but that's what I did and I'm… I'm really sorry for that." I stared up at her, unable to hide the shock I felt. It seemed that Victoria was just full of surprises. She stiffened under my gaze, tightening her grip on the sleeves of her gown. "Well? Are you going to say anything or not?" Her tone was sharp and shook me from my stupor a little.

"I… I'm sorry," I replied, watching the way her eyes stayed locked with the horizon. "I don't quite understand what you're talking about." She shot me a look, making me flinch away a little. Her gaze softened when she saw me flinch, helping me relax a little as she sighed.

"I did look through your things and I might have been acting rather… suggestive at times, but I had never meant for it to hurt you in any way," she said shyly, acting strangely vulnerable. "You make me feel so strange sometimes. I've rarely felt this way before and it's… distracting and irritating to think that I might never find the answer to my questions."

"You could ask me if you want," I blurted out, using every last scrap of willpower in my being to keep her gaze locked with mine. "I might be able to give you the answers you need," I said the second part slower, trying to keep my calm as my heart hammered against my ribcage. Victoria looked me over, her eyes piercing through me like daggers. What was I doing? I was just going to get myself hurt. So what if Victoria might have feelings for me? In a few days, she'd be back home and totally forget I ever entered her life, to begin with.

"Is it true what Chloe said before?" She asked, her dark green eyes staring into my core and sending shivers down my spine. "Is it true that you have feelings for me?" I froze where I stood, suddenly unable to breathe. Victoria Chase wanted to know if I had feelings for her. Me, an outlaw, Max Caulfield. Of all the people on the face of the planet, why would she care if I had feelings for her? She took a step towards me, our bodies so close that I could feel the heat radiating off of her as she stared down at me. I swallowed dryly, my insides fighting against each other, my tongue failing to untangle itself to speak. I wanted to say no, to say that it was all just a big joke. But it wasn't. Part of me wanted to say yes and just kiss her right then and there. I mean, she was close enough, wasn't she? It almost looked like she wanted me to say yes, like she'd been hoping for a moment like this for a long time.

"I... I… You- wow, I, um," I stammered out, my heart sinking as I saw Victoria frown at my half-wit response. She backed away from me, looking at the grass as she breathed a laugh, running her fingers through her hair.

"I knew it," she said softly, turning away from me. "I knew it was too good to be true." I reached out before I could stop myself, grabbing her wrist to stop her from walking away. She froze, looking back at me with wide eyes. I scoured my mind for words, anything that would make this turn out well, even though I had no idea "it ending well" quite meant in that moment. She looked at me expectantly, a small spark of hope in her eyes that made my heart ache. Did she really want this as much as I did?

"It's not too good to be true," I said softly, my heart racing as the words left my lips. They hung in the air like mist, surrounding the both of us like walls that protected us from the rest of the world. "But… Maybe it isn't a good idea." The last part hurt to say if I'm honest. Almost like denying myself one of the only things I'd ever really wanted. But it was selfish of me to get her hopes up when I knew that she had her own life to live somewhere else that was already so far away from where ever I would be. Victoria took a step toward me, our bodies getting closer again. It felt so natural that I wanted to keep going, to get so close that there was nothing left of me or the space between the two of us. No more walls, no more lies, no more noblewoman and pirate girl. Just people giving everything to each other.

"We won't know until we try," she whispered, taking my hand in hers and moving so close to me that our faces were barely an inch or so apart. "I'm willing to take the chance if you are, Maxine." Her voice was so low and so strangely affectionate that it made me shiver with anticipation and fear. What if we did this and it didn't end the way I wanted it to? How did I want this to end? How did she want it to end? I knew that it would never change the fact that she had to go home. But hearing her say my name made me want to hold on so tight to this moment that maybe the universe wouldn't make me let go. Maybe I could stay here with her forever.

"Victoria, we can't do this," I murmured, but it was weak. There was no force behind it, nothing that could make her believe that I didn't want this just as much as she did, maybe even more.

"Why not?" She said with a smile, the brilliance behind it drawing me in even more. It was almost like I couldn't escape this no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I knew it would only lead to hurt in the end. "I won't go any further unless you want to." The words made me ache for her because I knew that she was promising that no matter how much she wanted it, she wouldn't make me do or say anything that I didn't want to. God, I wanted to kiss her so badly that it hurt. And her lips were so close to mine. I could feel her words brushing against my skin as she spoke, making my legs go weak. I couldn't take it anymore, I had to at least try, right?

I closed the gap faster than I'd meant to, my lips crashing against hers almost painfully. But it didn't matter because I could feel the sparks under my skin already as she wrapped her arms around my waist to pull me closer. Her lips were so soft against mine, even though mine were rough and chapped and bitten to hell, she didn't pull away. I grabbed onto the sides of her gown, gripping it so tightly that I was surprised it didn't tear. I could stay like this forever, pressed against her, my heart thudding in my chest as she pressed her lips to mine like she'd never get to kiss me again. Probably because she might never be able to.

I pushed the last thought aside, pulling away for air. Victoria stared down at me in disbelief, like we had just done something so insane that it was going to destroy something crucial to our existence. But then she smiled and actually giggled. It was such an adorable sound that it made me laugh too, the two of us holding each other and laughing for a moment before being pulled back into the moment. She leaned her forehead down against mine and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath like she had just settled into a warm bed after a long day of work.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" She asked, her voice soft as her breaths brushed against my lips. I smiled up at her, watching the way her features relaxed. She was always beautiful, even when she was tense, but she had a sort of glow about her when she was calm that seemed almost transcendent.

"Yeah, I guess you were right," I replied, moving away to nuzzle into her neck. I closed my eyes, only slightly unsure of my sudden need to be more affectionate than usual.

"Bet your ass I'm right, Caulfield," she retorted, smirking down at me. I giggled, shaking my head and looking up at her.

"So you enjoyed it?" I asked, feeling self-conscious. I had only ever kissed one other person and it had been on a dare, so I wasn't really sure if it counted as a first kiss or not. Victoria nodded and leaned down, kissing my cheek.

"I definitely wouldn't be opposed to doing it again," she replied, her voice low and suggestive with a melodic edge. My stomach clenched, melting my insides until they turned molten. I felt my cheeks get hot and my heart tightened in my chest with worry.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked, barely more than a whisper. "You're going home in a few days and then…"

"Hey," she whispered, putting her hands on my shoulders and catching my gaze with hers. "I'm not going to forget about you, Max. Just because I'm going home doesn't mean that I won't see you again." Had Victoria always been like this? Underneath all the cold stares and sharp words, it was almost like she cared more than she'd ever be willing to admit. "And maybe, if you asked me really nicely, I'd never have to go home." It was barely a whisper, as though she had almost not dare let the universe hear her say something like that.

"What do you want to do?" I asked, pushing aside my own selfish desire for her to stay. I didn't want her to make a mistake. If she stayed and regretted it, then it would be all my fault if I'd told her how much I wished she'd stay. Victoria groaned and pulled me into a tight embrace, burying her face in my hair. She was surprisingly warm, but I wasn't complaining.

"I just want this to last forever," she replied, holding me close. I smiled to myself, hugging her back as I imagined what things might be like if Victoria decided to stay. Then I remembered what had happened earlier and my heart sank a little.

"Victoria?" I said softly, her name falling from my lips so smoothly that it sent shivers down my spine. She hummed her acknowledgment, the two of us letting go of each other and laying down on the grass. I took her hand in mine, mindlessly playing with her fingers as I thought of the right things to say.

"Did you really think that Chloe tricked Kate?" I asked, wanting at least a few answers. I didn't want to ruin the mood, but I also wanted to know what had made her so angry. There was a pause like Victoria was trying to think of the right words to explain herself.

"I just don't want Kate to get hurt," she finally said, staring up at the stars. "She's never been the most outgoing or outspoken person. She doesn't defend herself even when she knows that she deserves to be treated better. That's how it always was back home. I don't blame her for searching for something, anything that could take her away from the way she was treated before." I was surprised by Victoria's words, knowing that she would never have said them if they weren't true.

"Chloe isn't the sort of person you think she is," I said, unsure of how else to put it. Victoria looked over at me, her brows knit together in annoyance. I inwardly chided myself for messing up already. "I just mean that she isn't all that she appears. Kinda like you." Her features softened a little at that, so I continued, smiling as I spoke and watched Victoria finally relax a little. "She really cares about people and doesn't always use them for her own benefit. I mean, she is much more… experienced in areas that have to do with relationships and intimacy than I do, but I've really only seen her like this with one other person before."

"What happened to that person?" She asked, her full attention on me as she intertwined our fingers. I paused for a moment, memories of Rachel flooding into my mind like too much rain water.

"Well, we don't really know, to be honest," I replied, fighting against the sadness I always felt when I thought of Rachel while also fighting the urge I had to get lost in Victoria's eyes. "She just disappeared one day and never came back. I haven't seen her in almost four years now." Victoria nodded, pulling my hand towards her and pressing our joined hands to the center of her chest comfortingly. My hand was pressed so tightly against her chest that I could feel the faint beat of her heart against the back of my hand, reminding me of how real this actually was. Victoria Chase was holding my hand, showing me affection like we had always been this way. It was such a strange turn of events, to be honest. But I liked it. It was almost like she had thought about us having moments like this.

"How did you meet her?" She asked, watching me intently. I chuckled, looking away from her out of shyness before meeting her gaze again.

"Why are you so curious about it?" I asked, wanting to pull the attention away from myself while also being able to understand her better. She just smiled at me and brought my hand to her lips, kissing it softly and sending butterflies fluttering around my insides.

"I like listening to you talk," she replied, her green eyes looking over my face. "Your voice is very soothing. Plus, I want to be sure that Price is good enough for Kate and you just so happen to be an expert on her, apparently." I laughed, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Expert with a nice voice, huh?" I asked, unable to stop myself from smiling. I could've sworn that she was blushing, but it was hard to tell in the darkness that surrounded us.

"Just answer the question, would you?" she asked, her words much less sharp than usual.

"Alright, alright," I replied, taking a deep breath as I recalled the day Chloe and I had first met Rachel Amber. I explained that the two of us had only been about fifteen at the time, but had been living on the streets since we were six. We were staying in one of the bigger cities in Ireland, some place that I couldn't remember the name of anymore. We were trying to get more money so that we could find a way to leave Ireland for good, but had been having some trouble earning it through fights and small jobs. Chloe and I were both formidable fighters, but we had also been small, teenage girls. So no one would bet on us when we fought, thus not bringing in enough business for the hosts of said fights. No one would hire us for honest work since we weren't just teenage girls, but we were homeless, teenage girls, making us somewhat untrustworthy. Just when Chloe was ready to give up, Rachel Amber appeared, seemingly out of thin air, if I'm honest. We had been sitting at a small table in a pub, wasting what little money we had on anything the barkeep would give us to drown our sorrows in. Rachel had looked a bit older than she really was, wearing what I suppose was a dress and a big grin on her face as she spoke, asking us what had us so down. Chloe had been totally speechless, just staring at Rachel with an open mouth and wide eyes for a solid five minutes. So I explained to Rachel what had been going on and she had told us about some heists that she was going on later that week.

We hadn't known this at the time, but Rachel was part of a group that was basically a bunch of sadistic Robin Hood types. They stole from the rich because those were the people with the most money and left the poor alone only because they had nothing Rachel and her "friends" could use. Chloe agreed to go on the heist almost immediately, having done little more than stare at Rachel the entire time she spoke. I didn't blame her of course, Rachel was beautiful, but definitely scary. So, we went on the heist, stealing some gold and art from some French nobleman. We stuck with Rachel after that, sort of becoming part of her little band of robbers until we "borrowed" some money from a man named Frank, who we ended up naming our little ship pet after. Chloe and Rachel had become a bit of an item throughout the years, but Rachel disappeared right before Chloe and I left Ireland. We spent a year or so looking for her after that, but hadn't found any sign of her. We assumed she was either dead or avoiding us. It broke Chloe's heart and she wasn't quiet about it. She was a wreck for three months before we landed on a small island in the Caribbean. After that, she slept with a few women and a couple men, saying that she needed to experience what it was like being with other people so that Rachel would stop being someone she put on some sort of pedestal in her own mind. "But we haven't seen her since then," I finished, looking up at the stars. I felt Victoria's warmth against me, making my heart race while also making me somewhat sleepy.

"Wow," Victoria said softly, tracing the hem of my tunic against my side. "I never thought I'd feel bad for Chloe, but I guess there's a first for everything, huh?" I chuckled at that, nodding as I thought over the way Chloe had been acting since she'd met Kate.

"I'm not just saying this because I'm Chloe's friend, but I honestly don't think she'll leave Kate," I said, looking over at Victoria, whose eyes were glued to me as I spoke. At least she was willing to hear me out, that was a good start. "I've seen Chloe in all sorts of situations before, but I haven't seen her this determined to be with anyone before. She hasn't done more than have meaningless affairs all these years and she never acted like this during all that." Victoria nodded, looking down at the empty space between us, taking my hand and playing with my fingers.

"I just don't want Kate to get hurt," she replied, avoiding my gaze. "And if I'm not here, who's going to make sure that she's alright?" I smiled softly, kissing her forehead, even though the idea of Victoria leaving still made my entire chest feel like it was filled with stone.

"I think that's a talk you need to have with Chloe," I told her, finally getting her to look up at me. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment, as though preparing herself for one of the worst experiences of her life.

"You're right," she finally said. "I'll apologize and talk to her when we get back to the inn." I smiled, leaning close to her and kissing her softly.

"Good," I said when I pulled away, my heart thudding in my chest. I just wanted to kiss her again. As though reading my mind, she closed the gap between us again, kissing me tenderly. I smiled into the kiss, letting the rest of the world fade into the background as I relaxed into the kiss. Tiny fires lit themselves inside me, making me wish that I could go farther, but also making me wish that I could just stay in this moment forever with Victoria. Just Victoria and her lips and the stars overhead as my entire world got brighter just because of her.


	15. Chapter 15

Kate's POV

I had collapsed onto the bed after Victoria had left, crying my eyes out for what felt like forever. I was sad, that much I knew for sure, but I was also angry. And I really wasn't sure why at first. At least, not until Chloe walked into the room, her features going from firm and angry to furrowed brows and worried eyes. She strode over the the bed, sitting down next to me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders, pulling me close. I grabbed onto her tunic, feeling it dampen as my tears soaked into it. Chloe didn't say anything at first, she just let me cry, rubbing her hand up and down my back soothingly as I tried to calm myself down. When I had finally stopped crying, Chloe pulled away a little to look down at me.

"You ok?" She asked, her voice soft and her eyes gentler than I'd ever seen them. I felt my anger rise up in my chest again. The thought that Victoria could possibly think so little of Chloe baffled me. How could anyone not see the way she cared about people or the way she put her everything into helping someone she cared about? I supposed that Victoria was like Chloe in that way. Which only seemed to make me more upset. It seemed to me that, of all the people on this planet, Victoria should be able to understand Chloe most of all. "Kate?" Chloe said softly, her eyes flickering across my face, inspecting me for signs of something, like I might burst or explode into dust at the smallest breeze.

"I'm not really sure," I replied, looking into those deep blue eyes. I really cared about Chloe. Hell, I probably loved her, even if I was scared to admit something like that. But, if I didn't love her then why would I stay with her instead of go home? I loved Victoria too, but in a very different way. Maybe, if I showed Chloe how much I loved her then I'd be able to show Victoria that this wasn't just some impulsive decision. Maybe then she would understand that I wasn't just messing around and was actually trying to make a decision for myself for once in my life.

"Do you need anything?" Chloe asked, her voice pulling me from my thoughts for a moment, but only long enough to pull my gaze from her eyes to her lips. I felt Chloe's hand on my shoulder, making me flick my gaze back up to her eyes. She almost looked scared, like she was afraid I'd lose it or something. "Kate, are you sure you're ok?" She asked, her brows knit together so tightly that I was pretty sure it would cause wrinkles. She already had a pretty adorable wrinkle in her forehead when she scrunched it up enough.

"You're so amazing, Chloe," I said softly, taking her hand off my shoulder and bringing it to my lips. The blush that bloomed on her cheeks gave me a strange feeling of satisfaction when I noticed it. I smiled, intertwining our fingers. Chloe was looking at me suspiciously now, a nervous smile tugging at her lips.

"Kate, what's going on?" She asked, watching me carefully. I smiled even more, images forming in my head as I scooted toward her a little more, turning fully to face her. When you loved someone, you gave them something of yourself, right? Maybe Chloe had already done this with more people than I could ever dream of doing it with, but that didn't matter to me. I wanted her to be the first person to be that close to me. Skin on skin, nothing to separate us anymore. Not even fear.

"Just, let me try something," I murmured, closing the gap between us. I felt myself relaxing as I pressed my lips to hers, my imagination running a little wild. I started to wonder where else her lips could touch me. Chloe was reciprocating the kiss, but she seemed hesitant, so I pressed my chest against hers, drawing a small whimper from her that I never would've expected. I smiled into the kiss, letting go of her hand to grab both sides of her tunic as she pulled me closer by my waist.

"Are you sure this is ok?" Chloe asked when we pulled away for air. I just nodded, feeling myself getting too wound up to speak. Fear and anticipation flooded my veins, something hot filling my gut and spilling over between my legs just at the thought of what I was about to start. What I had already started. I pulled her closer, laying backwards a little and pulling her down with me until she was right on top of me. One of her hands was on the small of my back, holding me close to her, the other holding her up so that she wouldn't put her full weight on me. I felt myself beginning to shake as I felt something in me ignite, making me tug somewhat aggressively on Chloe's tunic, forcing her against me. She pulled away a little, looking down at me with worried eyes, worrying her lip between her teeth.

"Kate, you're shaking," she said, looking me over as she cupped my cheek. I breathed a laugh, blinking a little to try and remove myself from my haze.

"It's ok," I said breathlessly, my voice wavering just a little. Chloe looked into my eyes again, almost like she was searching for something. "Please, Chloe. I just want to try." It almost sounded like I was begging, like I wanted this more than I should. Which was probably true. I wanted this more than I'd wanted a lot of things. It wasn't just because I wanted to show Victoria that I could fend for myself. It was because I wanted to be close to Chloe, memorize everything about her and become a part of her. I wanted us to connect in a way that people did when they were in love, when they really meant something to each other.

"Kate, I… I want to, but this feels wrong," she said hesitantly. I felt my heart sink like a rock, landing somewhere in my stomach. Chloe suddenly looked panicked, stuttering as she continued. "No, no, don't make that face! I didn't mean it like that, I just meant… I just don't want you to do something that you'll regret. What if we do this and you don't want to… What if you decide that you don't want to be with me anymore? What if I mess up and hurt you?" My insides melted into a puddle, my heart still thudding in my chest.

"I would never regret making love with you, Chloe," I whispered, wrapping my arms around her neck, running my fingers through her blue hair. "You're very special to me. I want you to have everything, and if that includes me then I'm more than happy to give myself to you." The idea stirred something in me, making me nervous and happy and slightly aroused all at once. Chloe hesitated, like she was debating with herself. Or maybe wrestling would be a better word.

"I love you, Kate," she blurted out, suddenly freezing above me. My heart skipped a beat before I started giggling, seeing Chloe's features go from shocked to embarrassed in an instant. She groaned, leaning her head down to hide her burning face in the pillow next to my head. "Just shoot me and get it over with." Her words were slightly muffled by the pillow, making it hard for me to keep my laughter down after the first fit of giggles. I couldn't help it, the words just made me so happy, but Chloe's embarrassment wasn't exactly unamusing either.

"Why would I shoot the woman I love?" I asked, smiling so big that it hurt. But I didn't care because the look on Chloe's face when she lifted her head from the pillow was everything to me and so much more.

"You love me?" She asked like she couldn't possibly believe it. I laughed, pulling her down and kissing her softly.

"Of course, you silly goose," I replied, my heart swelling in my chest. She laughed, the sound filling my ears like music.

"Hey, I may be silly, but I am no goose," she protested, looking only slightly indignant.

"Alright, then what are you?" I asked, loving the feeling of her hips gently pressed to mine. She pressed her lips into a firm line, thinking of a reply.

"How about… A silly captain?" she suggested, making me roll my eyes. She held in a laugh, letting a mock pout creep onto her face. "What? I am a captain!" I giggled and kissed her nose.

"I know you are, I just like silly goose more," I told her, loving the way her smile lit up in her eyes the way the sun reflected off of the sea.

"Don't make me kiss you into submission, Katie dear," she purred, smirking down at me. I smirked back, feeling surprisingly confident in that moment. But the words also sent warm shivers down my spine, bringing back the arousal I'd felt before.

"I'm not so easily subdued, I'm afraid," I replied, feeling heat wash over me as Chloe's lips connected with mine, slow and soft and over far too soon. I sighed softly, opening my eyes as she pulled away. "You'll have to do better than that." But the challenge was weak even though my hesitation had long since abandoned me. I saw a sparkle in her eyes as she leaned down again, kissing my cheek this time, slowly kissing up until she was at my ear. I shivered, feeling tiny sparks under my skin as her lips traveled down my neck. I couldn't help the whimper that escaped me, the sensations I was starting to feel making my head spin a little. Chloe pulled away only to give me another smirk.

"I could keep going if you want," she said, leaning down until I felt her words brushing against my ear. "I would love to hear what other sounds you make." I held back the groan that was building in the back of my throat, closing my eyes and letting out a slow, shaky sigh instead.

"I've never… I don't," I stammered out, feeling self-conscious. Chloe chuckled kissing my cheek and sitting up on top of me, straddling my hips.

"You're so cute when you're flustered," she said, giving me one last kiss before hopping off the bed. "Now come on, we have to meet my contact still." I sat up, staring at her in confusion.

"But, what about…" I wasn't sure what I really wanted to ask, but I would suppose it was something along the lines of "what about you hearing me make more sounds?" or something stupid like that. It was almost unfair, her getting me all worked up and then smiling at me like that without finishing the job. She laughed, walking back over to the bed and taking my hands in hers, smiling down at me so sweetly that it made my insides ache a little.

"We'll get there, I promise," she said kissing my forehead. "But tonight we have to go meet my contact so that we can do this heist and get out of here in one piece, ok? Plus, I don't think that you'd feel super great afterwards since Max and Victoria will probably be sleeping in this room with us later." Realization hit me like a ton of bricks, making my chest clench a little at the thought of anyone hearing or seeing something like what I had wanted Chloe to do. Even the idea of Victoria being in the room after anything had happened was a scary thought. I knew that she'd figure it out, she always figured that stuff out somehow. I felt my cheeks heat up and I leaned forward, burying my face in Chloe's chest with a groan. She laughed, helping me up off the bed and taking my hand in hers as she lead me towards the door. "Come on, we don't want to be late." I nodded, following the taller woman out of our room and into the hallway.

The sun had set at some point while Chloe and I were in the room. It was beautiful, really. Seeing the firelight reflected off of glass and puddles of rainwater on the ground filled me with a sense of adventure while also managing to make me sort of sleepy. It was like the tiny fires and the warmth of Chloe's hand in mine filled me with a fire of my own, warming me all over.

We walked for a little while, passing houses and restaurants filled with people laughing and smiling like the rest of the world was just as happy as they were. It made me smile, despite the slight amount of ignorance such bliss required. It reminded me a little bit of the parties that the Chase family would throw. They were always so full of light and color, the air stuffed to the brim with music and laughter and so many varying sweet smells that it was hard to tell which ones were food and which were perfume. Women twirled with the men, their gowns flowing out around them so brightly that they became blurs as the dancers laughed and sang. They were so happy, but so oblivious to the people who weren't just as happy as they were.

"You gonna be ok while we're at dinner?" Chloe asked, her voice pulling me from my memories. I smiled up at her and nodded, hugging her arm close to me.

"Yes, I'll be alright," I replied, seeing a rather dingy looking pub just a few doors down. It didn't bother me, it just seemed slightly out of place. It was much darker than the buildings around it and looked far older than the city in its entirety. Chloe followed my gaze and chuckled, looking at the ground.

"Yeah, my contacts and I aren't exactly the high class type," she said bashfully, rubbing the back of her neck. She had put her hair up, her tiny ponytail puffing out behind her head like a spout of water. It made me smile because it reminded me of a tail in a few ways.

"Why do you say it like that?" I asked, feeling slightly confused. It's not like I had expected for us to meet anyone in some fancy French restaurant or anything. Plus, that sort of thing was never something that I wanted to sit through. If Victoria could barely sit through a dinner with her parents and their posh friends, how could I possibly expect to fare in such a situation?

"I just thought that you might've been expecting… more?" she said hesitantly, making me giggle at how silly it sounded. She looked down at me with a confused smile. "What's so funny?"

"You don't have to spend a bunch of money to impress me, Chloe," I said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Those things don't matter to me." Chloe just smiled and kissed my cheek, opening the front door of the pub to let me in first, stepping in behind me and looking around. It was dark and the whole place smelled like body odor, but the smell of smoke and alcohol helped mask the smell of sweat. Chloe stood beside me, her eyes searching the crowd until they rested on someone sitting at a small table next to a large window. I followed her gaze and saw a small man with a pint held shakily in his hands. He had a bald spot on the top of his head, his remaining hair was gray and wispy. He was wearing the equivalent of rags that barely covered his thin frame. He looked nervous, his eyes flicking from one side of the room to the next like he was waiting for something.

"Just follow my lead, alright?" Chloe whispered, standing slightly in front of me. "If anything happens, stay behind me. These people don't always take kindly to strangers." I nodded, resisting the urge to grab onto her hand as she walked toward the man, carefully moving between drunken patrons as she went. I followed close behind, keeping my eyes straight ahead, but making sure to check my surroundings every now and again. When we got to the table, the man looked up at us, standing up and looking us both over suspiciously. I shrank into myself a little, frightened by the way his brown eyes keyed on me.

"Who's this?" he asked, his voice low and raspy, like he hadn't used it in a long time. Chloe had drawn herself to her fullest height at some point, making her one of the tallest people in the whole of France, I think. I would've been scared of her if I didn't know who she was.

"None of your business," Chloe replied firmly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Now sit down and tell me what you brought me here to tell me before I lose my patience." I was surprised by Chloe's gruffness towards the man, but I suppose that I shouldn't have been. She did this to survive, not because it was fun. You had to be tough to make it in situations like this. It was kinda of like a weird sort of standoff between them. A fight for dominance where glares were the main weapon for once. The man finally gave in, sitting back down in his chair shakily, still staring up at Chloe defiantly.

"You never change, do you, Price?" he asked, taking a swig of whatever foul smelling alcohol he was drinking. "You should've left your pretty little friend at home, you know. Men around here have a hard time resisting an innocent looking English woman. Especially after the war or coming back from a long time at sea." I shivered, suddenly feeling eyes on me. Chloe chuckled, looking around at the men in the pub that were eyeing us.

"You know, I'm really not the sort to ruin anyone's fun," she said, smiling wryly at the other patrons before turning back to the small man we'd come here to find in the first place. Faster than a stroke of lighting, Chloe had a dagger out and stabbed into the tabletop, making almost everyone in the room jump. "But if any of you dare come near this woman, I swear to god I'll kill every last one of you." She took one last look around the room. She had everyone's attention now. "Do I make myself clear?"

I'm not sure what kind of status Chloe held among these men, but it seemed to be enough to get everyone to stop staring at us and go back to whatever they'd been doing beforehand. The small man sitting at the table before us had a sly grin on his face.

"Quite invested in this one, are you, captain?" He asked, eyeing me for a moment. "I can see why. She seems a little naive for you, though. Thought for sure you'd find someone more like Rachel to hang around." I saw Chloe tense, the hand she had on the hilt of the dagger in the table tightened, turning her knuckles white.

"I'm not here to shoot the perverted breeze with you, Martin," she growled. "Spill the info or I spill your guts in front of everyone here, yeah?" The man chuckled, obviously less than phased by Chloe's tough facade.

"Calm your tits, alright?" he said, sitting up in his chair and leaning his elbows against his knees. "I've got your information, but I need what you have for me first." Chloe reached for the pouch on her belt, grabbing out a few coins and tossing them at the man I guessed what Martin.

"There, now hurry your ass up," she said gruffly, taking the dagger from the table and sheathing it on her belt again.

Martin told us a lot of information that made almost no sense to me. He also gave Chloe a parchment that had some sort of writing along with drawings of the inside of the building that she would be stealing from. He also gave us a copy of the guest list of the celebration that would be happening there the night of the heist.

When we got back to the room at the inn, Max and Victoria were waiting for us. Well, I don't think that really explains what was happening. All I know is that Chloe opened the door and started shouting profanities that I dare not repeat. When I walked in, Max was laying on one of the twin beds, her hair in disarray and her tunic a little out of place, her cheeks so red that I could've sworn the poor girl was about to pass out. Victoria, who was standing next to the bed, had the most embarrassed look that I had ever seen on anyone. Her hair was also a bit messy and her lips looked red and a little swollen.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Chloe asked, her eyes wide as she looked between the two in disbelief. "Did I seriously just see what I think I saw?" She sounded more outraged than shocked, but shock was definitely there.

"Chloe, let me-" Max started, but Chloe shook her head.

"Nuh uh!" she shouted, shaking her head so hard that I was afraid she'd hurt herself. "No, I want Victoria to explain this shit to me!" Victoria, who was now looking a little more angry than embarrassed, had straightened herself, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt.

"I'm not sure what there is to explain," Victoria replied, putting on that voice that her mother used when she didn't want to talk about something. I had only seen her like this a few times and it was mostly when her mother talked to her about finding a husband.

"Like hell you don't," Chloe growled, narrowing her eyes at Victoria. But the blond didn't back down. She kept her gaze firm, almost unreadable.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Victoria insisted, not looking away for even a second. Seeing these two argue reminded me of stories I'd heard of the old gods of Rome and Greece fighting each other, creating storms and destroying anything within their reach.

"You just had your pretty little hands up my best friend's shirt and you don't know what I'm talking about?" Chloe's face was so red that she looked like she might explode. Victoria smirked, knowing full well what she was doing to the blue haired pirate.

"What, are you jealous that I've gotten closer to bedding a woman in the past day than you have in the past month?" Victoria asked, her eyes gleaming. I blushed, memories of earlier swirling around in my mind. My eyes shifted to Max, who looked like she wished the bed would just swallow her up right then and there. Chloe took a few threatening steps towards Victoria, her fists clenched.

"I am so tired of your shit, Chase," she growled, barely phasing Victoria at all.

"The feeling couldn't be more mutual, I assure you," Victoria replied, smirking despite her best efforts. Why was she enjoying this so much?

"Can we please not do this?" Max spoke up, holding herself as though it would guard her from the sudden looks she got from all three of us. She blushed at the sudden attention. "Pretty please?" Victoria and Chloe both seemed to deflate a little, looking from Max to each other.

"Fine," Chloe huffed. "But you're telling me what the fuck just happened after we go over our plans for the heist." She threw Max a knowing and somewhat irritated look before looking back to Victoria. Victoria looked away first meeting my eyes and looking at the ground.

"Kate, can we talk for a moment?" She asked, not looking back at me as she spoke. I felt a strange combination of nervousness and anger rise in my chest. I wanted to talk to her, but I also didn't want it to just turn into another one-sided screaming match like it had earlier that evening.

"Of course," I replied softly, smiling as sweetly as I could under the circumstances.

"Max, wanna come downstairs with me so we can work out our plan?" Chloe asked, taking the hint to leave the room. Max just nodded, hopping off the bed, throwing on her boots and straightening out her hair and tunic as Chloe closed the door behind them.

It was quiet for a few minutes. Neither of us said anything, but the weight of our own thoughts hung in the air between us like storm clouds. I steeled myself, looking up at Victoria to find that she was staring right back at me, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she thought over what she wanted to say. I folded my hands together, setting them on my lap as I sat on the edge of the bed her and I were supposed to share. I wondered if she'd rather share it with Max now. What was even going on with all that? I would ask her after we got the tension out of the way first.

"Kate, I'm sorry," Victoria finally said, drawing my attention to her again. Any anger I'd felt seemed to wash away, leaving a pang of guilt in its stead. She was standing just in front of the dresser, looking more dejected than I had seen her in a long time. It was disconcerting to say the least.

"You don't have to be sorry," I replied, watching the way her features went from guilty to vexed. She sat down in the spot on the bed right next to me, taking my hand in hers.

"I don't, but I am because I was wrong," she said firmly, her dark green eyes staring into me like I had no way to stop her. "It was wrong of me to say those things to you. I was just…" She paused, almost like whatever she wanted to say was hard to admit. "I was just upset because I'm really going to miss you." I felt a sense of dread hit me like crashing waves, filling my eyes with tears.

"You don't have to go home," I whispered, my voice wavering. "You can stay with us. You have me and Max -"

"Kate, I have to go back," she said, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do," I insisted, trying to keep my voice from straining as it passed the lump that had formed in my throat. "You're not a slave to your parents, Victoria. You're a human being who is fully capable to make her own choices and should make her own choices." There was a pause as Victoria looked down at our hands, squeezing mine gently. I wondered if this was enough. It was selfish, but I didn't want her to go back. For her sake and my own.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore," she admitted, a tear falling from her cheek and landing on the back of my hand.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her, seeing something pass over her features as she looked into my eyes again.

"That shouldn't matter," she replied, letting go of my hands and getting up to stand. Her features were hard, all sharp edges and tense jaw muscles. I knew in that moment that nothing I could say would change her mind. "I love you, Kate. You're my best friend and I'll never forget you, but I have to go back. I'm not angry with you, but I have to do this. I have to go home."

My heart sank into my stomach and sat at the bottom like a rock at the bottom of the ocean, tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't help it, even if I wished that I could pretend like this wasn't one of the most painful things I'd ever felt. I stood, taking a step towards my dearest friend, wrapping my arms around her and pulled her close. Even if she had to leave, I wouldn't let her go until I absolutely had to.


	16. Chapter 16

Chloe's POV

"Ok, so what the hell was that all about?" I whisper yelled, making Max jump a little. She was still blushing like crazy and hadn't quite gotten her hair back into place, but she had been smiling like crazy since we'd left the room. She looked at the table that we were sitting at, her hands probably folded up in her lap nervously.

"Well… We… I guess we… I don't really know," she replied, looking anxious. "We kissed earlier and when we got back, you and Kate weren't there and things just kind of got out of hand." I couldn't resist the smirk that tugged at my lips despite the slight amount of outrage I felt at not having been told sooner. Or at least warned.

"So, what made you grow a pair and fess up to her?" I asked, leaning forward on my elbows against the table top so that I could talk a little quieter. I was sure that the last thing Max wanted was for the whole of France to hear of her little romp.

"Actually, she was the one who… Fessed up," Max replied, making me bust up laughing. Max blushed even harder, if that was possible, shushing me as people started staring at us. "Come on, Chloe, stop it." I took a few deep breathes, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I just have to say that I fucking told you so," I said breathlessly, feeling satisfaction fill me from head to toe, my anger from before mostly forgotten. "I just can't believe that I walked in on you two getting nasty." I saw Max visibly flinch away from the sentence, but she was smiling a little which was a good sign. "I never had you pegged as the hit it and quit it type." She looked up at me, her brows knit together in confusion.

"What do you mean?" She asked, making my heart sink a little. I really hoped that Max wasn't getting herself into something that would get her hurt. I leaned forward against the table again, holding her grey eyes with my gaze.

"You know, hit and run?" She still looked confused, making me sigh and hang my head a little before looking back at her. "Eat and run, fuck her and forget her, all that good stuff?" Max groaned, hitting her forehead against the table top.

"Chloe, that's so gross," she said, her voice slightly muffled.

"Hey, focus, Caulfield," I said, tapping the top of her head to get her to look at me. She lifted her head, glaring at me. "You're not getting overly invested are you?"

"What are you talking about, Chloe?" She asked, making me slightly frustrated.

"You are so fucking dense that it's sad, you know that?" I asked, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest. "You know where this is going to lead, don't you? We're taking her back to England after this and we're never going to see her again." Max deflated, making me regret my words for a moment. But I knew that this was for the best. She had to get this through her head before it was too late. I had a feeling that it was already too late, though. "I'm sorry, ok? I know it sucks, but Victoria doesn't belong with people like us. She belongs with all those rich people, making shit loads of money and not caring what the peasants like us think, remember?"

"Victoria's not like that," Max murmured, her eyes no longer locked with mine. "She cares about me."

"Yeah, maybe she does," I replied, my heart aching a little at the sad look on Max's face. She had never acted this way about anyone else. It broke my heart to see her in this kind of situation. "But that doesn't mean that she's going to stay. She has a life to go back to, Max. And we have a life of our own to find."

"I guess," she replied, looking dejected. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair.

"Max -" but she cut in again, looking stern suddenly.

"Can we just make this plan so we can get this over with?" She asked, looking at me with a firmness that I'd rarely seen in her. I wanted to argue, but I knew that it wouldn't make things better. So I just nodded, taking out the papers Martin had given me. He was a creepy son of a bitch, but he knew his stuff and how to get ahold of what I needed. Unfolding the various papers, I set them out on the table so that we could see the details of the maps and guest lists.

We worked out a bit of a plan, deciding that Kate and Victoria should stay at the inn incase anyone recognized them. Well, mainly Victoria, but if I said anything about Kate coming than Victoria would want to come along too. She'd probably fight me on not letting her go as it was, but I also didn't think that Max would want her there. We decided that it would be best to go the stealth route with it instead of just busting down the front door like I wanted to do. That's how I usually did these kinds of things. Go big or go home, as they say. Plus, the initial element of surprise that came with that kind of strategy was always priceless.

Max was looking over the guest list when something must've caught her eye. She hummed thoughtfully, squinting at the paper.

"What's so interesting?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"I just saw a name that looked familiar, that's all," she said, passing me the list and pointing to a name that I'd probably heard before but couldn't remember.

"Lord Nathan Prescott?" I asked, a face suddenly flashing through my mind. "Hey, that's the guy who was with Kate and Victoria in that shop back in England." Max's eyes widened as realization spread across her face.

"Chloe, what if this heist is a trap?" She asked, grabbing the guest list and looking over it like she might remember any more names that she saw.

"What? How?" I asked, standing up and leaning over the table to look at the list upside down.

"Nathan Prescott is the son of a very powerful lord in England," Max explained, not taking her eyes off the list. "The Prescotts are about as close as you can get to being royalty without being part of the royal family. They've been working with the Chase family for generations. This Lord Prescott probably grew up with the same training as Victoria and the two of them probably grew up together like brother and sister. If he's at this ball, he could've been sent by the Chase family to get Victoria back."

"Why don't we just give her to him?" I asked, looking up to meet Max's gaze, but her eyes stayed glued to the paper in her hands. I heard a small crumpling noise as she hands balled into fists around the edges of the parchment.

"We can't," she replied, her voice only shaking a little. "If we walk in there with our guard down, they'll imprison us whether we brought Victoria back in one piece or not."

"Then what are we going to do?" I asked, wishing that there was something, anything I could do to stop Max from feeling the way she did about Victoria. It was dangerous, deadly even. If we went through with this and Max wasn't at the top of her game, she could get hurt, or worse. There was a long pause, the sound of people leaving the inn to go to their homes or rooms the only sound that filled my ears.

"We go through with the plan," Max finally said, setting the list on the table. "We do the heist and bring Victoria back to England. If they know we're here then we have to be quick about this." I nodded, picking up the papers and folding them back up. We went back to the room and I was surprised to see that Kate and Victoria were fast asleep in different beds. I looked over at Max, but she was staring at Victoria who was dead asleep in the bed she'd planned to sleep in. I nudged her a little with my elbow getting her attention.

"You gonna be alright?" I whispered. She nodded, avoiding my gaze as she kicked off her boots and crawled into bed beside Victoria. It was almost painful to watch as Max climbed under the covers, Victoria stirring only for a moment to snuggle closer to the warmth that had entered her peaceful slumber. I saw Max stiffen, only to stay exactly where she was, tears pricking at the edges of her eyes. I shook my head, taking off my boots and slowly climbing into bed next to Kate. She stirred, her eyelids fluttering open a little.

"Chloe?" She whispered sleepily. I smiled softly, kissing her forehead and wrapping my arms around her.

"It's alright, just go back to sleep," I whispered, trying to let Kate's warmth sooth the harsh sadness I felt for Max. I knew what it was like to have someone you care about leave without warning, but this was different. Max always knew that Victoria wouldn't stay, had fought against her feelings since the beginning, only to be given hope at the last possible moment. I hoped against hope that Victoria would stay, but I knew that it wasn't as easy as her just doing what she wanted. Nothing was ever that easy, especially when you had been taught what that the right thing to do was give up what you wanted for the sake of your family's honor. I had never thought that I would feel bad for Victoria Chase of all people, but in that moment, my heart ached for her and my friend. What if Victoria really did care and was only going back because she believed she had to?

I sighed, holding Kate close as I heard her breathing steady into a soothing rhythm. Max would be alright. Things would change for her. Maybe Victoria wouldn't be the last person she fell in love with.

We spent most of the next day getting ready for the heist. Our target was a safe in some study at the back of the mansion. We would have to sneak past the party and into the back of the mansion and search for the exact study the safe was in because this person had somehow managed to build three different studies for himself. Rich people really were bastards like that, making it way harder than it should be to steal from them.

We asked Victoria and Kate to stay on the ship while we were on the heist, much to Kate's worry. Victoria seemed oddly complaisent and willing to do what I asked her to, which was very strange. She and Max barely spoke to each other. In fact, Victoria barely spoke to anyone at all, just nodding and giving simple replies to any questions asked. The most she spoke was some French to tell the woman who owned the inn that we were leaving. I wasn't sure what she was saying, but the way she said it was full of fake tones and perfectly rehearsed smiles.

After escorting Kate and Victoria to the Arcadia, we all stood there awkwardly for a moment. Kate gave me a kiss and a tight hug, smiling nervously. I smiled down at her, kissing her forehead.

"Don't look so worried," I teased lightly, brushing a strand of loose hair out of her face. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Just be safe, alright?" She asked, her hazel eyes looking sort of frightened. She looked at Max, giving her a soft smile. "You too, Max. I expect that you'll bring her back in one piece." Max gave Kate a small smile, but it was genuine. How could someone not smile at Kate? She was too sweet for her own good.

"Of course," Max replied, looking from Kate to the ground. I pulled Kate close, looking deeply into her eyes.

"One more good luck kiss for the road?" I asked, smirking a little at the blush that colored Kate's cheeks. She nodded and stood on her toes to kiss me, her arms wrapped around my neck. I let the warmth of her lips travel through my whole body, savouring the sensation. I had never had anyone's kisses make me feel the way Kate's did. Not even Rachel. Those were new and exciting, sure, but this was different. It was so much softer and sweeter than I ever could've imagined and I wished that it never had to end. When I pulled away, I had to force myself to let Kate go, turning to Victoria to give her a curt nod. She nodded back, throwing Max a quick glance before looking at the ground. Kate took a step towards Max and kissed her on the cheek.

"Be safe," she said sweetly, making Max smile a little.

"Thanks, Kate," she replied. "The same to you two." Max looked over at Victoria, their eyes lingering on each other for a moment before I wrapped my arm around Max's shoulders, turning us both to leave.

"We'll be back soon," I called back at Kate as Max and I walked away. We were only about ten steps away when I heard someone running towards us from behind. We both turned around to see Victoria approaching us. She wrapped her arms around Max, almost tackling her to the ground.

"You better come back in one piece, you hear me?" I heard Victoria whisper. Max was all wide eyes and hesitance for a moment. Then she wrapped her arms around Victoria, closing her eyes and burying her face in the taller girl's shoulder. She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. When Victoria pulled away, she kissed Max's cheek gently, slowly turning away to walk back to the ship.

"Hey, what about my good luck kiss?" I called after her, grinning at the way Max shoved me a little.

"Kiss the dirt I walk on, Price," Victoria called back, walking back to Kate. I gave Max a smirk and she shook her head, breathing a laugh as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Come on, let's get going," she said, turning to walk away again. I followed her, walking by her side. The storm that had been headed towards the city since the night before was hanging above the city now, the clouds blotting out the setting sun. "Do you think we'll be able to make it out of here if the storm starts?" Max sounded only slightly concerned. Probably because she already knew my answer.

"Of course," I told her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders again. "We've sailed through worse." Max chuckled, shaking her head before looking up at the sky. Small raindrops had begun to fall, hitting her freckled cheeks. It was almost impossible to tell the difference between where her own tears had been and where the sky's were now, but she looked beautifully pensive. I could practically see the emotions fighting against each other in her eyes. All I could do now was hope that this would pass for her. Every storm stops eventually, right?

The mansion was already crowded with party goers when we snuck up behind the giant building. The rain had started coming down a little harder by then, causing people to either run or walk quickly into the party instead of the usual saunter I normally saw in these types of people. Max and I were wearing the darkest clothing we had to better blend us with the shadows in the alleyways and rain of the night. We both had leather packs with us since Martin had told us to take everything in the safe along with whatever else we wanted for ourselves.

"That's our entrance," I whispered, pointing up at a window about ten feet above us.

"How the hell are we supposed to get up there?" Max asked, looking from the window to me, looking a bit exasperated. I laced my fingers together, kneeling down and looking up at her.

"Need a lift, Super Max?" I asked, grinning as she rolled her eyes at me. But she was smiling, which was a good sign. Maybe this was what she needed to get her mind off of Victoria.

"Why thank you, kind lady," she said mockingly, setting her right foot on my hands and her hands on the wall to balance herself. "Go slow, you know that I don't have the best balance." I chuckled, lifting her up slowly.

"Just don't fall on me, alright?" I asked, straining a little to get Max all the way up. "We don't wanna have to end this before it starts." Max reached up, grabbing onto the window sill and pulling herself up. She was surprisingly strong despite being so small. When she was inside, I found a few bricks jutting out of the wall for me to climb on. I worked my way up, climbing through the window to see Max looking around one of the three studies we'd have to search before our job was done.

"Alright, you take the bookshelves, I'll search through the desk and behind the paintings," Max whispered, going to the desk. I nodded, looking around the huge room. The door was closed, but I could hear the party going on almost like I was standing in the middle of the crowd. I wondered how close we were to where the main party was being held. Shaking my head to get myself focused, I went to the closest bookshelf, moving books aside to find nothing but empty walls. I found a book of poetry, remembering that Kate had once told me that she wished she had more poetry books to read. I took the book and stuffed it into my pack, turning to see Max looking through a large, leather bound folder. I turned back to the bookshelves, making sure to check every spot I could before turning and walking toward the desk.

"There's nothing in here," I said, picking up a small golden mermaid figurine off of the desk. It was way more detailed than I would've thought possible for something so small. I put it in my pack, looking up to see Max putting the leather bound folder in her pack. "What's that for?" I asked.

"It has a lot of names and some weird code in it and some maps of South America," She replied, walking around the desk and starting towards the door. I followed her, the both of us stopping just before the door.

"What do we need that for?" I asked her, watching her kneel down and look through the lock of the door.

"I don't know, but I figured that something that fancy looking and organized has to be worth something to someone, right?" She replied, her voice slightly strained from concentration. "Alright, there's no one out there that I can see, but we have to be quick. Where's the next study?"

"Two doors to the right," I replied, making sure my pack was secure. "The last is further down that way as well."

"Will we be able to get out that way when we reach the last study?" She asked, getting to her feet. I recalled the map, looking it over in my mind.

"I don't think so," I replied. "Martin told me that the main party was going to be out there."

"So we'll come back to the way we came," she decided, reaching to open the door. I put my hand on her shoulder, making her freeze.

"Max, are you sure you're alright to go through with all this?" I asked. She had been acting sort of strange. Max was never really a focused person unless we were on the job like this or in a fight. But for some reason, she seemed oddly spacey. She nodded, giving me a small smile that didn't reassure me at all.

"I'm fine, Chloe," she insisted, looking down at the door knob and wrapping her fingers around it. "Let's get this over with, alright?" I let go of her shoulder, nodding a little. I had a bad feeling about this whole thing. Ever since we'd learned that Nathan Prescott would be here, I had been suspicious of the whole thing. But Max seemed certain that we would be fine if we just kept going and stayed as quiet as we could. Out of sight, out of mind is what she had told me.

Max opened the door slowly, relief washing over me as the hinges made no sound at all. We peaked out, looking both ways before making our way down the hall. When we reached the second study, it was almost an exact copy of the one before it, except that it had a chess table in it. Max convinced me not to take the silver chess pieces, saying that they'd make too much noise in my pack. I sighed in frustration, knowing that she was right, and moved on to look behind the paintings on the walls. Nothing but empty walls again and a desk with nothing useful. Well, that's not true, there had been a large pouch of coins hidden inside one of the drawers which was a pleasant surprise.

We finally made our way to the last study, barely dodging the attention of an armed guard at the end of the hallway. Max closed the door quietly behind us as I looked around the room. It was much larger than the other two with a large painting of a man on a white stallion behind the large desk. After ten minutes of searching, Max found the safe behind a bookshelf, beckoning me over so that I could pick the lock on it.

It took longer than usual since I hadn't picked many locks recently, but when I finally got the safe open, I was frozen with shock. There was so much gold that I was afraid we might not be able to carry it all. I looked over at Max who looked just as surprised, picking up one of the coins and looking it over.

"Holy shit, no wonder this place has armed guards," I whispered, setting my pack down and filling it with as much of the gold as I could. Max did the same, a small paper fluttering out of the safe is she got the last of it. I picked it up, unfolding it to see a bunch of meaningless words written on it. Max grabbed it out of my hand, giving me a paper cut. "Ow, you could've just asked nicely."

"Sorry," Max said unconvincingly as she looked over the piece of paper. "This must be the code for the notebook we found." She stuffed it into her pack and stood, closing the safe and putting all the books back into place. "Now we have to get out of here."

"Agreed," I replied, heading for the door. We were headed back to the first study when three men appeared at the end of the hall from behind a corner. I recognized the one in the middle almost immediately. His light brown hair and piercing blue eyes sent shivers down my spine, making me bristle like I had when I'd first seen him that day with Kate and Victoria.

"Going somewhere, ladies?" He asked, grinning at us.

"Well, we were about to," I called back, gripping my sword.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave," He replied, taking a few steps toward us. He wasn't exactly dressed to fight in his fancy looking clothes, but he had a sword on his belt and a musket in his hand. "You have a friend of mine as well as quite a bit of money in those packs of yours. I'm going to have to take them back, unfortunately."

"Go fuck yourself, Prescott," I spat, staring him down. He seemed to crack a little under the comment, laughing softly at first as he tossed his musket from one hand to the other, his laughter getting louder as he looked between the two men at his sides.

"Kill these poor urchins, won't you, boys?" He asked, the two men unsheathing their swords and running at us. Max and I unsheathed our swords, readying ourselves. One went for each of us. The one that went for me swung downward, making it easy to dodge out of the way because he was so slow. I brought my sword up from under him, the blade slicing through his fancy petticoat and into his flesh. He made a pained gurgling sound, looking up into my eyes as he fell the the ground, his insides spilling out onto the fancy rug beneath our feet. I had enough time to look to my right, seeing that there was a flight of stairs with a landing just below us, close enough to land on unscathed if we were careful. I saw Max stab the guard she was fighting and I tugged on her sleeve, vaulting over the railing and falling down to the landing, rolling out of the fall and feeling the book of poetry stab into my back painfully. I heard Max land next to me and a gunshot grazed my arm, making me yelp in pain.

"I'm not afraid to kill you, Price!" Nathan shouted from somewhere above us. I gritted my teeth, standing and grabbing Max's arm. We sprinted towards the front door, taking out a few more guards as we made it out the door. I saw someone running towards us from the street. Two people and they were both screaming, running at full speed. No, wait. I recognized them. Blond hair and a flowing gown, honey-colored hair and one of my tunics.

"It's a trap!" Victoria screamed, her voice echoing around me. I turned to see Nathan pointing his musket right at me from the door. My heart thudded in my chest, the sound of blood pounding in my ears the only thing that I could hear besides Victoria and Kate's muffled screams. Time seemed to slow around me as the rain poured down on me, soaking through my tunic. I had stared down the barrel of quite a few guns before, but this was different. Almost final as I closed my eyes. I had no plan to escape, my mind suddenly blank at the realization that this was the moment that could very well end my life.

But when the shot rang out, I didn't feel it. When I opened my eyes, I was faced with a pair of shimmering gray eyes and sopping wet hair sticking to freckled cheeks and a blood-spattered forehead. My heart stopped, time itself stopped. And then Max's whole weight was leaned on me, making me stumble until I was on my knees, holding her up with what little strength my shocked body could muster. I looked down, seeing blood trickle from the side of Max's mouth and her nose. There was a small hole in her stomach and blood was seeping out of it as Max's wide eyes stared up at me. I held her in my arms, watching her gasp for air.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," she whispered raggedly, coughing up more blood. I let out a sob, moving hair out of her face. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. "It hurts." I felt tears streaming down my face as she spoke and I shook my head.

"It's ok, Max, you're gonna be ok," I sobbed, holding her close to me. "You can't do this. You can't die." She tried to reply but ended up coughing instead, her breathing growing uneven as her eyes began to shut. "No. No, please. Max, come on. You can't do this, don't leave." But she didn't reply. She was completely still, limp in my grasp as I pleaded with her. But there was nothing. Max didn't open her eyes. She didn't wake up.

Something in me broke, making me gently set her down on the cobble stone road as I stood. I stepped over her, heading towards Nathan. When I looked up at him, my vision pulsed red, something in my chest igniting into a roaring flame. I screamed, running towards him at full speed. He raised his musket, but didn't have any time to fire because I had tackled him to the ground and was beating his brains out before he could pull the trigger.

I could feel my knuckles cracking, fingers fracturing as I beat into his skull with my fists. I could hear the crack of his skull against my fist with each hit, my blood pulsing in my ears. But he wasn't dead when I got pulled off of him, just bloodied and bruised and unconscious.

"Chloe, Chloe!" Kate's voice broke through my haze, my breath echoing in my ears as I gasped for air. I turned to see her standing beside me, her hands wrapped around my right arm as she stared up at me. "We have to get out of here before more guards come, do you understand me?" Her voice was firm, commanding almost. I nodded, tearing off a sleeve of my tunic and kneeling down beside Nathan. I used the sleeve to tie his hands behind his back, lifting him up and wrapping his tied arms around my shoulders so that I could carry him.

"She's still alive!" Victoria called out, knelt beside Max, her hands shakily checking her for a pulse. "We can save her! We have to get her to a doctor." I stared at her in disbelief for a moment, looking up to see some of my crew members must have followed the two women when they'd raced off of the ship.

"Take this man back to the ship," I commanded them, handing an unconscious Nathan Prescott over to one of my crew members who nodded.

"Captain, we have a former doctor on our crew," one of my men said, looking over at Max. "He can help bring Max back."

So we raced back to the Arcadia, hearing guards and soldiers hot on our heels. I had Max's pack and mine, but I didn't care. All that mattered to me was the fact that she looked too pale as one of my crew members carried her back to the ship.

Don't be dead, Max, I begged internally, watching rain drops fall from her face and hair as we ran to the docks. Don't you dare die on me.


	17. Chapter 17

Victoria's POV

Finding the guest list set on Max's bedroom desk was a surprise to me. I would've thought that she would take it with her, but I thought that she might've forgotten it. It wasn't until I saw Nathan's name that I began to panic. I had heard that the Prescott's often sent their men on special errands to take out enemies to the Chase family as well as their own. If my father had known who had captured Kate and me, he would've told Lord Prescott immediately to get me back. That was the only reason for Nathan to be here in France this time of year. His father never sent him to France unless it was scheduled or there was some sort of business to attend to. I knew for a fact that the coasts of France were a place that the Prescotts stayed away from because of the war.

Which meant that Nathan was here for me and because my father had ordered him to kill whoever had taken me. I had explained everything to Kate as quickly as I could, the two of us racing as quickly as we could to where the party would be taking place. The rain was pounding down on us by then, making it hard to run, especially in the heavy gown I was wearing. But that didn't matter. I had to warn Max before it was too late. I ran as fast as my feet would carry me, pushing past whoever dared stand in my path.

But we got there too late. Nathan was standing in the doorway of the mansion, a musket pointed right at Chloe who was frozen where she stood. Right as Nathan took the shot, Max stood between the bullet and Chloe, her arms outstretched at her sides as she braced herself for impact. I remember being unable to move, hardly able to breathe as I watched blood explode from Max's back. The force of the shot knocked her forward, sending her into Chloe's arms. Nathan stayed where he stood, a satisfied grin on his face.

Time blurred around me after that, sending me into a haze of Max screaming coming from inside her room as the doctor removed the bullet from her body. But none of us were allowed to be there with her. Max barely made it through the night. She had lost so much blood that she had so little color in that she almost looked dead. When Jack, the doctor that was part of the crew, had managed to stop the bleeding, he asked that no one enter the room until he said otherwise. Not even Chloe, despite all the yelling she did, could deny the fact that a nervous energy wouldn't help Max or Jack in the slightest.

So Chloe stomped away from Max's quarters, headed below deck to the cell they'd thrown Nathan in. I followed her, more scared than angry, trying to understand what she was about to do.

"That bastard is going to pay for what he did to Max," she growled when I asked her what she was going to do. I grabbed her shoulder, yanking her back to stop her in her tracks. She whirled around, swinging at me. I barely had enough time to duck out of the way, quickly moving back up to grab the collar of her tunic and press her against the door that lead to where Nathan was.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him," I sneered, not letting her get out of my grip. I had her firmly pressed against the door, hearing the wood creak against the pressure as she struggled.

"This is your fault just as much as it is his," she snapped at me, shoving me back in my surprise. I stared at the woman in front of me, her clothes and face splattered with the blood of Max, Nathan and probably a few guards. She had a fire in her eyes that terrified me, but I wouldn't back down, not when someone I cared about was in danger. Chloe was breathing heavily, her fists clenched at her sides at she stared me down, making me wish that I was taller and braver than I was in that moment.

"What do you mean it's my fault?" I asked, knowing exactly what she meant. If it wasn't for me, Nathan wouldn't have been there at all and then Max wouldn't have had to risk her life for Chloe.

"She never would have done something so stupid if she'd thought that you'd be here to come back to," Chloe said, her words taking me by surprise. "You're leaving because of some stupid family legacy even after you confessed your feelings for her. You gave her hope when you knew there wasn't any and that's a really shitty thing to do. Now she's lying on that bed, practically lifeless because you never let her get over you. You just pushed and pushed and toyed with her until she thought that maybe, just maybe, that someone like you could love someone like her."

"Someone like me?" I shouted, anger rising in my chest. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe Max risked her life to save you because she loves you? Because you mean more to her than me or her own life ever could?" The words hurt to say, but it was true. Chloe was Max's whole world, even I knew that. They had depended on each other for so long, had given up so much to help each other survive. It only made sense that Max would give up her life for her best friend like that after what they had been through. Chloe looked taken aback, her mouth hanging open a little as her posture straightened. She closed her mouth, looking at me with shimmering eyes. I felt tears pricking in my own eyes because Chloe had no idea how much Max loved her. How they would always be together because their only real responsibility was making sure the other was alive. "Max would give up everything for you and you know it. So why don't just accept that all of us have a fault in this? Whether we meant for this to happen or not doesn't matter because it's done now." Chloe didn't say anything, she just stared at me with those hurting eyes and pursed lips. I turned away, walking over to sit by the door that lead to Max's room, bringing my knees to my chest and resting my forehead on my arms. I only barely saw Kate take Chloe's hand and lead her to her own room.

I felt the aching in my chest return as my anger faded, filling me up until it spilled. I cried for a long time, my face buried in my arms as rain beat down on me from the sky. Chloe was right. This was just as much my fault as it was Nathan's, even if I hadn't been the one to pull the trigger. I sobbed into my arms, the tears rolling down my skin to my skirt. My heart felt like it had been broken in two, torn to shreds by something I couldn't understand in that moment. I cared about Max more than I could ever describe, even if I hadn't shown it. I couldn't show it, not even to myself. Because if I cared too much then I wouldn't be able to go home. I had to go home. I didn't have a choice.

Chloe's words echoed through my head, making me sob even harder. You gave her hope when you knew there wasn't any. She never would've done something so stupid if she'd thought that you'd be here to come back to. But I was here to come back to. At least, I was when she left. This is your fault just as much as it is his. I grabbed into my skirt so tight that it tore just a little as my nails dug into it. Everything hurt and the crying was only making it worse.

This was my fault. Max cared about me and I made her believe that, even if I cared about her just as much, we could never be together. But that wasn't true. It couldn't be. If it was, then why did I hear everything in me screaming to never go home?

"Victoria." It was Kate's voice, saying my name so gently that it made my insides clench. I didn't deserve her sympathy or her love. I didn't deserve anything that Kate had ever given me. If I hadn't learned how to deserve Kate, how could I ever learn to deserve Max? Kate sat down beside me, stroking my hair, gently coaxing me to lean into her. I did, despite my internal protests, burying my face in her tunic. She wrapped her arms around me, holding me close and letting me cry into her chest.

"It's because of me," I sobbed, gripping the soft fabric of the tunic in my fists. Kate rubbed up and down my back, sending slightly soothing sensations through me in waves.

"This isn't anyone's fault," Kate whispered, kissing the top of my head. "It was a horrible thing that happened, but it's going to be alright now. No one is to blame." I stopped sobbing but was still sniffling and hiccuping a little.

"How can you know that?" I asked, unable to pull myself out of Kate's gentle hold. I could hear her heart as it beat softly in her chest, her breathing giving me a simple rhythm to calm myself to. I felt her chest vibrate as she spoke, making me feel like there was nothing else, just Kate and the rain and the throbbing pain of guilt in my chest.

"Because Max hasn't finished her job yet," she replied simply, making me scoff in amusement. I sat up, wiping my face of the tears that stained them.

"That sounds like something a priest would say to make a grieving family member feel better," I told her, making her chuckle and shrug.

"I suppose it does," she said, smiling at the wooden planks of the ship. "But if we don't believe that she's going to live, how could we ever hope for her to make it through this? She needs support, even if we can't give her that in the easiest way." I paused, looking Kate over. She had blood on her tunic too. She'd probably been consoling Chloe before coming out to check on me. I didn't blame her, Chloe was bound to be a mess right now. Not to say that I wasn't, but I suppose it was different.

"How's Chloe?" I asked, feeling bad for having said something so cruel to her. Kate's eyes clouded over a little and she looked over to the door where Chloe's room was before letting out a soft sigh.

"She cried her eyes out until she fell asleep," Kate replied, folding her hands in her lap. How long had I been out here? The rain had let up a bit, small rays of light reflecting off of the ocean's surface. We had set sail almost immediately after getting on board, headed anywhere that was far away from England. Which meant, that for now atleast, I wasn't going home.

"You should go check on her," I said, my voice gently breaking the silence that had grown between us. Kate nodded, giving me a tight squeeze before getting to her feet.

"Are you going to be alright?" Kate asked me. I smiled weakly, nodding as confidently as I could.

"Yes, I'll be just fine," I said, knowing that I didn't sound sure enough. But Kate knew that I needed space to think, so she left, staying in Chloe's room for what felt like an eternity. The sun rose over the horizon as I waited outside Max's door and I could feel myself shivering a little from the cold.

My mind wondered, bringing me back to that night Max and I had confessed our feelings for each other. She had looked so happy, so peaceful. It was almost like I had taken a weight off of her shoulders by telling her how I felt. But had it only made things worse? I remembered getting back to the inn, the way she kissed me when we were finally away from prying eyes. Neither of us had ever done anything like we had that night, but it was almost like none of that mattered. I had completely forgotten everything, focusing everything on Max until the rest of the world faded into something even quieter than background noise. In the heat of that moment, Max was my world, my home, a prison that I never wanted to escape from.

"Miss Chase?" A voice asked, breaking through my memories. I shot to my feet, seeing Jack standing in the doorway. He had a tired look on his face, his eyelids drooping and his jaw lax as he nodded to motion for me to enter the room. I followed him, my heart racing in my chest when I saw Max. She was laying in her bed, her head propped up on a few pillows and her hair all in disarray atop her head. "She's asleep for now and stable as far as I can tell. I'm going to grab a few hours of rest, please come and wake me if anything changes. If she wakes up, don't let her leave that bed." I nodded, thanking Jack as he left the room, the door closing behind me. I stood in that spot for a few minutes, just watching Max's chest rise and fall, her eyes fluttering beneath her eyelids.

I slowly made my way over, pulling a chair from the side of the room and setting it by the bed. She was still so pale, her cheeks only now gaining some semblance of color. She was wearing a fresh tunic, covered to her chest by the thick blanket that had been on her bed. There were tools on a food tray, covered in blood with a bullet resting beside a dagger. I cringed at the thought of something so deadly having been inside of Max's body, stealing her life away with what seemed to be ease.

Part of me wondered how Nathan could ever kill someone. Or try to, at least. Perhaps he had killed before and never told me. His behavior had seemed to change over the past two years. His father had probably sent him on a few errands since his trip to Asia. My heart clenched in my chest at the thought. Nathan had never been like the other boys we were forced to tolerate as children. They were all strangely obsessed with war and becoming soldiers instead of businessmen. Nathan had been more of the artistic type growing up. He was an amazing painter, despite his father's attempts to beat the talent out of his own son.

I took Max's pale hand in mine, running my thumb over the top of it. Maybe, if I talked to Nathan, he would be able to shed some light on the whole situation. I just hoped that Chloe didn't throw him to the sharks first, or worse. But right now, I was here with Max and she was what mattered. I watched her pale face, gently squeezing her hand.

"I'm right here, Maxine," I whispered, promising that to myself just as much as I was to her. "I'm not going anywhere, no matter what. I'll be right here when you wake up, I promise." My eyes stung with tears again, but they were never shed. Maybe because I had already cried enough. Maybe now I could just be here with Max and let everything else go. My old life, my parents, the life I had been told that I was destined to live. If Max, Kate and Chloe were all strong enough to start over, strong enough to look for something better - something they deserved - then so was I.

I felt my hand being squeezed, pulling me from sleep. I groaned, my mind hazy and tired as I blinked the sleep out of my eyes. When the world came into focus, I lifted my head to see Max smiling weakly at me from where she laid in her bed. Memories hit me like I'd run into a wall, forcing me to push down the sudden urge I felt to jump up and kiss Max so hard that her lips bruised. My eyes filled with tears as I took her in, pale skin and freckled cheeks that had only just begun to gain some color again.

"I told you to come back in one piece," I choked out, making Max chuckle. She flinched a little, the vibrations probably hurting her. When she recovered, she smiled at me, bringing the back of my hand to her lips.

"I still have all my limbs, right?" She joked, making me laugh softly, shaking my head as I ran my free hand through my hair to straighten it. I must've fallen asleep while I was waiting for her to wake up.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked, watching as she thought it over. She finally gave the slightest shrug of her shoulders, throwing a dorky smile my way.

"I don't really know," she replied. "But I'm glad you were here when I opened my eyes." I smiled, looking away as I thought over what I had decided to do, how I had decided that maybe I didn't have to go home after all. "Is Chloe alright?" Max's question pulled me from my thoughts. I nodded, remembering the fire in Chloe's eyes when she'd told me that this had all been my fault. She was right, which was why I had to make it up to her and Max somehow.

"She was… Very angry," I replied, unsure of how else to put it. Max sighed and nodded, rubbing her face with her free hand, her eyes scrunched closed like she was thinking hard about something or her head hurt. I hoped that it was the former, although the latter was more likely.

"I figured she would be," Max said, a worried look on her face. "She didn't do anything stupid, did she?" I hesitated, remembering the way she'd screamed in fury as she hit Nathan over and over again until he was barely more than blood and broken skin.

"She… tried to kill Nathan," I said, wishing that I didn't feel a sense of guilt at being afraid for him. I felt like my soul itself was split in two, half of me fearing for Nathan's life while the other half wanted to do as Chloe had done because he'd hurt Max. "But other than that, she just yelled a lot and… cried a lot. We all did." Max tugged on my hand gently, pulling my attention to her again.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, making the lump in my throat much harder to ignore as tears welled up in my eyes. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Don't be sorry," I said shakily, wiping the tears from my eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Victoria," she whispered, leaning forward with more effort than either of us expected. I stood quickly, gently pushing her back down onto the bed.

"Don't move too much," I said gently, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "You need to rest."

"I didn't mean to scare you," she said, her own eyes suddenly brimming with tears. "I just… I didn't know what else to do. Chloe was in danger and I thought… I thought that it would be better if it was me instead of her. If I died, then it'd be ok. I don't mean all that much, but she -"

"Don't," I said firmly, my voice shaking. Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, her mouth open a little in surprise. "Don't you dare say things like that. You're worth more than you could ever know. Please, never think that someone else's life means more than yours. If you had… I don't know what I would've done if you'd…" My words were stopped in my throat, the thought of Max never waking up, the memory of her blood and screams and practically lifeless body filling my mind like flood water.

She lifted her hand from mine to run her fingers down my cheek, wiping away a tear that was making its way down my face. She had this look in her eyes that made my heart skip a beat because I had never seen anyone look at me that way before. I had rarely seen people look at each other like that and I honestly had no idea what it meant. All I knew was that it stirred something in me that made me almost as afraid as losing Max.

"I'm not going anywhere," she told me, filling me with a sense of relief. I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes as warmth flooded over me. When I opened my eyes, she still had that look in her eyes, but she was smiling a little now. "Are you gonna be ok?" She asked. I huffed in amusement.

"Me? What about you? You're the one who took a bullet today," I replied, shoving down the dread that threatened to ruin this moment as memories flashed through my mind over and over again.

"I'll be just fine," she said, letting her hand fall from my cheek and rest on my thigh. My heart skipped a beat, but I pushed the rush of butterflies down, commanding myself to focus on the moment. "Has Chloe come in at all?"

"Jack wouldn't let her come in and Kate said she fell asleep late last night," I replied, avoiding Max's gaze again. I didn't want her to see that I was blushing about a simple touch at a time like this. "I can go get her if you want." Max grabbed my hand again, drawing my attention back up to her eyes. She had a serious look on her face, her eyebrows knit together like she was struggling with what she needed to say next.

"Victoria, are you… Are you going back?" She asked, her voice firm but the fear that shook its foundation was louder than the words themselves. I tensed for a moment, watching those soft gray eyes as they practically begged me to stay. I knew that Max would never ask me to stay just because she wanted me to. She wasn't that sort of person. I took a deep breath and leaned forward, pressing my lips to hers for a moment. It was just a kiss, a small, simple gesture that said more than I ever could because, in that moment, I knew that Max would need to be just as sure of my decision as I was. When I pulled away, Max had this dorky smile on her face, making me chuckle.

"I'm never leaving," I replied, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "You're stuck with me now, unfortunately for you." The last words were barely out of my mouth when Max grabbed the back of my neck with her right hand, pulling me in for another kiss. This one was different, far more desperate than the first and I felt it more deeply than I'd felt most things. It was like a hot coal being dropped into the very core of my being, spreading its warmth through my entire body until I was little more than a beacon of the love that had caused it.

"I'll never be unfortunate when I'm with you," she said breathlessly, her eyes locking with mine. She had that look in her eyes again, the one that made me scared and excited and desperate for more all at once. I smiled down at her, kissing her forehead.

"I hope you remember that when someone else I know tries to shoot you," I joked, getting a small laugh from Max.

This was it. This was the decision I had made and I was sticking to it. I had to. I wanted this more than anything else. I wanted to be with Max for as long as I could and if that meant never going home, then I was more than ok with that. She was worth whatever would happen after this. And I would fight for her until the very end if it meant that I could have more moments like this and the one back in France. Whatever came next, I was with Max.


	18. Chapter 18

Max's POV

"Why the hell did you do that?" Chloe asked, standing tall and rigid in the doorway, her cheeks stained with tear streaks and her eyes red and puffy from crying. I felt guilt hit me like waves knocking against the shore, wearing at my resolve. I looked away from her, I couldn't hold her gaze anymore.

"I couldn't let you die," I replied, struggling to keep myself calm. I was so scared of what she would say and I was so tired, everything hurt. The pain from the gunshot radiated from the closed bullet wound in waves, pulsing up my back and down my legs like ice, making me stiff. "I'm sorry." There was a long pause, the only sound that could be heard were Chloe's breathing and the crew working on the ship outside the closed door.

"How do you know that I would've died?" She asked, making me look up at her in surprise. She hadn't moved from her spot just inside the door, watching me like I was some sort of enemy.

"You survived." I hesitated, my heart racing in my chest. I didn't know, I honestly wished that I did because then I would at least be able to explain why I had risked my life for her.

"I don't know," I finally replied, rubbing my face with my hands before running my fingers through my hair. Maybe if I just did it over and over again this would go away, I'd be able to rub Chloe's angry figure from the back of my eyelids and everything would be ok. "I just couldn't take the chance."

"So you decided that you should die instead?" She asked, her voice growing in volume. "You decided that it'd just be better to leave me here all alone? Why would you do that? Is the idea of living here in this world so awful to you that you'd give up everything just so that you wouldn't have to see me die?"

"Well, how did you feel when you thought you lost me?" I shouted, the vibrations causing my wound to throb. Chloe stared at me in shock, and I pressed on, pushing my pain aside. "You think I did this because I'm selfish, because I couldn't stand living without Victoria or whatever it is that you decided to blame this on, but you're wrong. I took that bullet for you because I love you, Chloe. You're my best friend, the one person that I've always been able to count on, even when my parents were murdered right in front of me, you were there for me and you showed me how to survive. If you think that I would just stand by and watch you die then you have no idea who the hell I am or how much I care about you." I sat back against the pillows stacked behind me, breathing heavily as the bullet wound in my back throbbed over and over again, making me clench my eyes shut. "Fuck," I groaned, trying to block out the pain that shot from my back to my head and down to my hips. Chloe was by my side within a moment, looking panicked and scared.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry, please just calm down," she pleaded, placing her hand on my shoulder while lifting up my tunic to look at the wound. "Better be careful how much you yell, otherwise you're going to open this up again." The pain subsided a little, letting me open my eyes and look up at her. She had a scared look in her eyes as she looked back at me, the anger that had been there before suddenly wiped away.

"I'm sorry I yelled," I said breathlessly, feeling guilty before I could stop myself. Chloe chuckled, shaking her head as she wiped sweat soaked hair from my forehead.

"Shut up, Max," she whispered, grabbing the cup of water off of the bedside table and holding it to my lips. I took a few much-needed gulps, sighing in relief when I was done. "I'm sorry I got so pissed. You… I was just so scared that you wouldn't come back. I was an ass. I'm sorry."

"It's ok, Chloe," I said with a weak smile, watching tears well up in her eyes. "I heard that you tried to kill Nathan Prescott."

Chloe sighed, running her fingers through her messy, blue hair. "Yeah, I kinda beat his face in a little," she replied. "We captured him and took him with us, though. I wanted to finish the job, but Victoria stopped me."

"You really shouldn't be going around punching nobles anyway," I replied, making Chloe laugh a little.

"He kinda deserved it," she said, rubbing her eyes.

"He was just trying to get Victoria back," I told her, feeling a little guilty thinking that, even after all his efforts, he wouldn't be bringing Victoria back to England with him. "You'd do the same if I got taken hostage by some random pirates."

"But we are the random pirates," she joked, ruffling my hair. "Plus, I'd do a whole lot more than shoot any bastard who'd dare steal you away like that."

I chuckled, flinching a little before I could ignore the pain. "How sweet of you," I deadpanned, leaning my head back against a pillow. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I never thought it was possible to be as tired I was in that moment.

"So, are we ok?" Chloe asked. I lazily opened my eyes, turning my head to look at her.

"Of course we are," I told her, taking her hand and mindlessly playing with her fingers. She had long fingers like Victoria, but Chloe's hands were much more worn and dirty. Her skin was warm and her palm was rough as I ran my thumb over it. "How's Kate doing?" I asked, looking up into soft eyes. Lowering her head, Chloe sighed, looking just as tired as I felt.

"I honestly have no idea," she replied. "She was asleep when I woke up a little while ago. She's really been helpful with the whole keeping my sanity thing."

I chuckled, imaging Kate talking Chloe down after everything that happened. I was really grateful for Kate, especially since she made Chloe so happy. Plus, Kate was an amazing friend, always there to give you anything you needed even if it came at her own expense.

"You should go and see if she's ok," I said, smiling as Chloe nodded a little. "What's up?" I asked, seeing the way Chloe suddenly looked nervous.

"Well… After I got back to the inn the other day, she was crying because of what had happened with Victoria," Chloe said, watching the way my fingers contrasted from hers. They were smaller, thinner but just as worn. "After she calmed down, she got this… This look on her face and said that she wanted to try something. Then we started kissing and everything, but she was so nervous that she was shaking and I had to ask her if it was really ok to be doing all that. She really wanted to, like she was trying to prove something, so I stopped. I kinda teased her a little and then we went to go talk to Martin and everything's been normal since then." I had to admit that I was shocked. I never would've pegged Kate as the kind of person to make the first move when it came to that sort of thing.

"I don't understand why you seem so down about this," I said, having a hard time keeping down a smile. "Don't you love it when beautiful women beg you to take them to bed? I thought that was something you were at least used to, if not in love with."

"I just don't want her to think she has to do something like that if she doesn't want to," she groaned, looking more perplexed than I'd ever seen her. "What if she thinks that sex is the only way she can show me affection? Because don't get me wrong, sex is great, but there are other ways to be intimate."

"Chloe, has it ever occurred to you that maybe Kate actually wants to sleep with you?" I asked, getting a confused glare in response. I sighed, shaking my head. "Kate's not an idiot, she knows some things, even if she's a bit on the innocent side. Maybe she wants to sleep with you because she cares about you and wants to share something special with you." Chloe hesitated, still looking confused. God, she really could be just as clueless as me sometimes, which was scary. "Kate has probably been taught that sex is something that people do when they're in love, which means that if she wants to do it, it's not just some impulsive decision for her. It means that she wants you to have something she's been saving for one people to have for the rest of her life."

"But what if I mess up? What if I'm not good enough for her?" Chloe asked, looking more nervous than confused now. "What if we start and I… and I freeze up or something?" I laughed, hardly able to image the normally smooth Chloe Price "freezing up" in any sort of situation that had to do with pretty girls.

"I think that you worry too much about things that you shouldn't," I replied. That got a laugh out of Chloe, which was a welcome change from the nervousness she'd shown before.

"You're one to talk," she grumbled, leaning back in the chair she'd sat in beside my bed, her arms crossed under her chest. She had a thoughtful look on her face, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Maybe you should talk to her about it," I suggested, nodding towards the door. "Or, better yet, go tell her that I want to see her to make sure she's ok and then go and think it over a little more. Maybe you can go talk to that Nathan guy and see what information you can get out of him." Chloe nodded, a more focused look on her face now.

"That's a good idea," she said, turning to the door. "Thanks, Max."

"Just try not to kill the poor guy this time," I pleaded, watching her smirk a little. "He's Victoria's friend after all, so he can't be that bad."

"That's debatable, but if you insist," Chloe said as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. I sighed, relaxing into my bed. It was hard to believe that things had gotten so crazy. I mean, things around the Arcadia were rarely relaxed, but at least we'd managed to stay out of too much trouble. Now we had noblemen shooting at us and I had a particularly beautiful, blond noblewoman worrying about me and Chloe was suddenly worried about sex. Who would've thought that two women would cause so much disturbance? To be fair, the disturbances weren't unwelcome.

With everything that had happened with Victoria, I was practically walking on air. She had gone to check on Nathan after our talk, saying that she'd be back after Chloe had asked him a few questions. I closed my eyes, remembering the night before the heist, Victoria's body laid on top of me as she kissed me, her hand slowly moving up under my tunic. I had been all stiff muscles and sharp gasps, but the sensations of it all were incredible. Victoria moved and kissed like she'd been doing it for years. She was a natural, her lips and fingertips lighting fires beneath my skin with every touch.

I sighed to myself, feeling my belly fill with butterflies at the memory. God, what was this feeling? All the tingling sensations and hot skin that suddenly made it hard to move or breath was enough to make my head feel hazier than blood loss. I had never made a habit of touching myself, but I had a feeling that I should've, maybe then I'd know how to make this feeling smaller, easier to ignore. I groaned, shifting in bed and squeezing my eyes shut to try and wipe the picture of Victoria lying on top of me from my mind. If only I could get rid of the image of her eyes burning with the desire I knew burned in my gut.

"Just breath and try to sleep," I told myself, only feeling slightly self-conscious for talking to myself. "Just rest so that you can talk to Kate when she gets here."


	19. Chapter 19

Kate's POV

"Kate?" Chloe's gentle voice broke through the shield of sleep that had covered me a few hours ago. My eyes fluttered open to see her standing beside the bed we'd shared the night before, a small smile on her face. Her hand was on my shoulder, her thumb gently rubbing back and forth against my tunic. "Good morning, sleepy head. How did you sleep?" I took a deep breath through my nose, the cool air waking me up a little as I rubbed my eye with the palm of my hand.

"I slept alright," I replied, my voice sounding surprisingly raspy, like the short amount of sleep I had gotten had run a jagged knife along its surface. "What about you? Are you ok?"

"I'm just fine," she replied, kissing my cheek. "Max is awake so I went to go talk to her and we worked everything out." I smiled back at her, relieved to see that she was feeling better. I sat up and took her hand in mine, pulling her closer to me.

"I'm so glad that you two worked things out," I said softly, leaning my forehead against her chest. "How is she feeling?"

"Well, she actually wanted me to tell you that she wanted to see you and make sure that you were alright," Chloe said, taking me by surprise. I looked up at her, meeting those deep blue eyes that I loved so much.

"What?" I asked, my brain moving slower than I would've liked. What did I expect after having gotten almost no sleep in the past twenty-four hours? Chloe chuckled and leaned down to kiss me softly. I sighed into the kiss, feeling it wake me up a little.

"You were here for all of us, making sure that we were alright," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "You need to be able to relax a little, right? It's our turn to make sure that you're alright." I smiled up at her, cupping her cheek with my hand and pulling her in for another kiss.

"You're so amazing," I whispered, kissing her again and pulling her close.

"I love you, Kate," she said softly, cupping my cheeks with her hands as she kissed me again, her body gently pressed to mine. My heart quickened, my hands moving until they were on Chloe's hips. She bit down on my bottom lip a little, pulling a soft moan from the back of my throat. I tensed up at the sound, but Chloe just slowly pushed me back down onto the bed, climbing on top of me. She straddled my hips, moving to kiss my neck. I moved my hands up, pulling her tunic up just enough to expose the bottom of her abs and back. "You're so beautiful." Her voice brushed against my ear, making me let out a shaky sigh. I felt my nails dig into the exposed skin of her back, hearing her let out a low groan as she gently bit my earlobe. I let out a moan, arching my back a little. I felt her right hand slowly bringing my tunic up, exposing a bit of my skin to the open air. Chloe froze when I let out a small gasp and she looked down at me hesitantly.

"I want this," I said breathlessly. She swallowed hard, wrestling with herself.

"I want this to be perfect for you," she whispered, frozen above me with a scared look in her eyes. "You deserve better."

"I'll decide what I deserve," I said firmly, but I was still trying to catch my breath. "You're perfect for me, Chloe. I love you. I want to do this with you." She let out a shaky sigh, looking away from me a little.

"Can we… Can we maybe wait until tonight?" She asked, looking back at me again. "I need to take care of some things first. You know, the whole Nathan Prescott thing. Plus, you need to go see Max." I couldn't help pouting up at her, the fire in my gut raging at the idea that Chloe and I could go all the way.

"Fine," I sighed, letting go of her. Chloe smiled down at me, stroking my cheek with her thumb delicately.

"Hey, don't look so sad," she whispered, leaning down and kissing me tenderly. I felt sparks flickering under my skin at the intensity of it, my heart pounding at what it promised. "I promise to give you the night of your life tonight. We'll have so much fun that you might have a hard time walking tomorrow." Her voice was low and hungry, making me shiver under the weight of it.

"Why must you always get me so worked up and never finish the job?" I asked breathlessly, wishing that I sounded more disappointed. But I couldn't help smiling, Chloe wasn't doing this on purpose, she just wanted it to be special. She was so sweet like that, but it could also be slightly frustrating at times. Chloe chuckled above me, moving to get off of me and the bed.

"I'm sorry, I know how that must feel," she replied, standing beside the bed and reaching her hand out to me to help me off the bed. "But it'll be a lot better if we wait." I nodded, taking her hand. I was so in awe of her, even if she was an awful tease.

"Alright," I said, standing close to her. I gently pressed my body to hers for a moment, standing up on my tiptoes so that my lips were close to her ear. "But tonight you're going to learn just what a virgin can do when she'd teased." I felt Chloe shiver as I pulled away. I gave her a quick kiss and backed away from her. "I have to change now, so you should go ahead and see what information you can get out of Nathan." Chloe was staring at me with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open a little. Shaking her head, she closed her mouth, swallowing hard and heading to the door and leaving without a word. I giggled to myself and got changed, deciding to wear one of my gowns to tempt Chloe even further, just to make it worse.

I had no idea what had suddenly inspired such an attitude in me, I had always been much more bashful and tasit. Perhaps Chloe's confidence was rubbing off on me. I smiled at the thought that maybe I could be as formidable as her if I tried hard enough. I wanted to be kind and help others as much as I could, but I couldn't deny that I was tired of being pushed around by anyone and everyone that thought they could take advantage of me.

When I was changed, I walked out onto the deck, the sun blinding me for a few moments. I had to blink several times before the world came back into focus, the sea surrounding us once again as the crew made their way around the ship. A few of the crew greeted me with smiles and nods and good mornings like they had when we were first on our way back to England. I smiled back and greeted each of them, happy to see everyone in high spirits despite the events of the days before. I made my way to Max's room, knocking before opening the door a little to see what was going on.

"Come in," Max's voice called from somewhere in the room. I opened the door all the way to see her laying in her bed, a book rested in her lap as she looked up at me with a tired smile. "Good morning, Kate. How are you today?" I laughed softly, walking over and standing by the chair set beside her bed.

"I should be the one asking you that question, Max," I replied, kissing the top of her head as I sat down in the chair. "But I'm perfectly fine, thank you for asking." Max gave me a once over, her brows furrowed a little.

"What's with the fancy clothes?" She asked, looking a little confused. I felt my cheeks get warm from the question, making me wonder if this was a good idea or if I'd just messed up. I looked down at my lap, my hands clenched together from nervousness.

"I just thought that it would be nice to wear something different," I said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Does it not look good?" I asked, looking back up at her. Max's eyes widened and she spoke quickly, looking a little panicked.

"No, no, that's not what I meant at all," she replied nervously, wringing her hands in her lap. "I was just curious because you seemed like you were getting used to wearing Chloe's clothes, that's all." I smiled softly, missing the tingly feeling I got whenever I wore one of Chloe's tunics. It felt like I always had her arms wrapped around me, making me feel safe.

"I really do love wearing her clothes," I said softly, smiling up at Max again. "I just thought that it would be nice to dress up a little." Max suddenly had a knowing smile on her face, her eyes looking me over again.

"Oh, I see," she said, laughing a little and closing the book that rested on her lap. "You're trying to impress Chloe, aren't you?" I felt my eyes get wide and my cheeks heat up, avoiding Max's gaze like it was the plague. How could she have guessed that?

"I… I just thought that she would like it," I replied shyly, trying to downplay my intentions.

"I heard about what happened at the inn before," Max said, her words catching me off guard. I stared up at her with wide eyes, feeling my stomach twist around the butterflies that fluttered through me at the memory. "It's alright, Kate. You don't have to be embarrassed. You and Chloe walked in on Victoria and me in the middle of a very similar situation." Her cheeks grew darker as she spoke.

"I just really want her to feel good about this," I blurted out. "She seems too nervous, like she's going to shatter me. One minute she's totally fine and everything feels so good and then the next she's making some excuse about how this isn't the right time and how we can't go too far because I'll regret it." I had known how I felt, but I had forgotten how strong my insecurities were. "What if she doesn't want to? What if she isn't attracted to me in that way or thinks I'm not pretty enough?"

"Kate," Max's voice came out as a small laugh as she took my hand, catching my gaze. "Chloe loves you, alright? She's just scared. The first girl she fell in love with took everything without a second thought and left her in the dust. I think she's just afraid that she'll hurt you the way she was hurt. As for her being attracted to you, well… Let's just say that I wouldn't worry about that if I were you." I felt my brows furrow at her words, watching her gray eyes glimmer in the candlelight of her windowless room.

"How do you know?" I asked, my heart still clenching in fear at the idea that I wasn't actually beautiful enough for Chloe.

"If the way she looks at you and the way she talks about you are any indication, then I think you're perfectly fine," she replied, giving me a sweet smile. "Don't worry so much, you didn't do anything wrong and I can pretty much guarantee you that Chloe is more head over heels for you than I've seen her for anyone else." I couldn't help smiling at that, my heart racing a little in my chest at the thought that maybe Chloe was actually as in love with me as I was with her.

"Thank you, Max," I said, smiling at her. "I'm sorry that I came in here and dumped my problems on you. You already have enough to deal with." Max just laughed and shook her head.

"Even angels need help, Kate," she replied, squeezing my hand reassuringly. I smiled back at her, my heart warming at her words. Max really was one of the sweetest people God had ever created. No wonder Chloe cared about her so much.


	20. Chapter 20

Chloe's POV

"I won't let you hurt him," Victoria said, her voice firm and slightly intimidating. I stood to my fullest height, arms crossed over my chest as I looked down at the blond noblewoman. She had a fire in her eyes that was only slightly terrifying, but still not super welcoming.

"Who said I was going to hurt him?" I asked, trying to act calm and nonchalant.

"You did just last night," she growled, bristling a little under my gaze. "If you so much as lay a finger on him, I'll do far worse than kill you."

"You're making a fool of yourself, Victoria," Nathan interrupted. He was leaned against the back wall of the cell we'd kept Victoria and Kate in when we'd first taken them hostage. "What do you want to know, Price? I have no reason to hide anything now." I looked over at him, taking in the bruises and cuts all over his face. His lips were split in multiple places, his right eye swollen shut and he had a long cut down his right cheek to top it all off. I sneered at him, remembering the satisfied smirk on his face when he'd nearly killed Max. Walking over to the bars of his cell, I leaned forward, my hands wrapped around two of the bars as I looked down at his pathetic frame.

"Who sent you?" I asked, watching him chuckle, coughing a little.

"Lord Chase himself, of course," he replied, looking over to Victoria. "Your father is quite distraught, you know. You should have seen his face when he learned that his only daughter was stolen away by a bunch of pirates."

"What was your assignment?" I growled, not liking the way he was looking at Victoria. Sure, the Chase girl and I never really got along, but she was one of us now. Max loved her and she loved Max, so I couldn't help being a little protective.

"I was told to bring Victoria and her captors back," he replied. "You and your first mate were to be brought back dead or alive."

"What about Kate?" Victoria asked, her voice tight. I hated Victoria a lot less in that moment because she had read my mind.

"What do you mean? Do you actually believe that our families would expend resources to find a servant?" He replied dryly, spitting out blood onto the floor of his cell. I felt myself tensing at his words, my hands gripping the bars so hard that my knuckles went white

"She's not a servant, she's part of my family," Victoria protested, coming closer to the bars. "You must believe that, Nathan. She was there through everything. She grew up with us, comforted us when things got scary or difficult. You were there when her mother died and she cried for days on end. You even gave her flowers and asked her to your family's annual ball when you were twelve. Does none of that mean anything to you?" I had my eyes on Victoria in that moment, her eyes brimming with tears at the memories that she recounted, like they were an eternity ago. Victoria really did care about Kate, even if she didn't show it all that well. Or, not in the traditional sense, anyway. Nathan laughed, pulling my gaze to him again.

"You honestly believe that you and Kate would've been best friends for the rest of your lives, don't you?" He asked, grinning as well as he could with all of the bruises on his face. "You know just as well as I do that your parents would've sent Kate away as soon as they could. They probably would've sent her to a monastery as soon as her mother died if you hadn't thrown such a big fuss over the whole thing." Victoria was shaking beside me, her cheeks streaked with tears. I slammed my fist against the bars, making both of them jump. I glared through the bars at Nathan, letting my anger seep through into every word I spoke.

"Don't you dare talk about Kate," I growled, using every ounce of my willpower not to rip open the cell door and beat that stupid smirk off of his face.

"Oh, I see," he sighed, leaning his head back against the wall of his cell, staring up at the ceiling. "You've fallen for her, then? Good, maybe you can fuck the naivety out of the helpless wench." To my surprise, Victoria reacted before I could, throwing open the cell door and grabbing Nathan by his bloodstained collar.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She shouted, her face only inches away from his. "You didn't use to be like this, you used to care about people. Why are you doing this?" I was frozen to where I stood, Victoria's ferocity taking me by surprise. Nathan looked just as shocked, his working eye wide with shock. "I thought we mattered to you, Nathan. Not just me, but Kate too. She was there for you even when I couldn't be. Even when you were cruel to her and called her names and hit her, she was there for you when you needed somebody most. How can you just throw that all away?" Victoria's loud shouting had dissolved into shaky sobs. She wasn't gripping his collar anymore but had fallen to her knees in front of him, clutching his torn petticoat as she cried, her tears mixing with the blood stains on the white tunic he wore underneath his fancier clothes. Nathan looked down at her, tears gathering in his eyes now. He brought his hand up and rested it on top of her head, stroking her hair.

"Your mother would be quite displeased with your hair," he said softly. Victoria buried her face in his chest, making him wrap his arms around her. It was strange to watch the man who'd tried to kill my best friend actually showing any sort of weakness, especially one as intense as love. I felt myself relax, the anger I'd felt in my chest suddenly melting away before I could stop it. I lowered my gaze, turning and walking out to go above deck.

Victoria spent a lot of time with Nathan after that, tending to his wounds and begging Jack to help her do so. I went above deck, deciding that cleaning my weapons and practicing my hand to hand skills were the only real thing that I could do in that moment. By the time the sun was setting on the horizon, I was covered in sweat, breathing heavily as I wiped my face with a towel. Kate was still with Max, probably talking or reading or something. I went to my room, deciding that I should wash myself off a bit so that I didn't smell awful when Kate came in to go to bed.

My heart started racing as I remembered what had happened that morning, my throat going a little dry. Was this really going to happen tonight? Part of me hoped it would, but I was terrified out of my mind. What if I went too far? What if she wasn't ready like she thought?

I finished washing off, putting on a pair of clean trousers before looking at myself in the mirror. I looked myself up and down, examining the scars and tan lines, the toned muscles that rippled beneath my skin. I heaved a sigh, grabbing for a clean tunic. The click of the door came from behind me, making me jump as I whirled around to see Kate standing there with wide eyes, her cheeks turning a dark red as I fumbled with my tunic to get it over my head.

"Jesus, Kate," I said, struggling to get the tunic over my head. "What are you doing back here?" It was a stupid question and I knew it, but I didn't know what else to say. When I finally got the stupid tunic on, I looked up to see Kate looking at the ground, her hands folded in front of her as she wrung them nervously.

"I… Well, Victoria came back to Max's room and the three of us talked for a little while, but Max was getting tired so I said that I would leave them to sleep," she said sheepishly, avoiding my gaze. I sighed, begging the tension in my shoulders to leave me, even if it were just for a moment. I walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her tight and pulling her close. She returned my embrace, burying her face in my shoulder. "I should've knocked." I laughed and shook my head, pulling away so that I could look into her eyes.

"How were you supposed to know I'd be half naked?" I teased, loving the way her cheeks went crimson at the words. There was a pause, the memories of that morning hanging in the air like mist. I reached around her closing the door and taking a few steps backward towards the middle of the room. "Did you still want to… Want to try and…" I could barely get the words out. It was like my nervousness had created a gate in my throat, blocking anything from leaving it. Kate took a few steps towards me, taking my hands in hers and looking up at me with twinkling eyes.

"I'm ready if you are," she whispered, getting up on her tiptoes to kiss me. When her lips met mine, I melted, my nervousness dissipating into nothingness as the warmth of her lips reminded me that I had done this before. I had done this with plenty of people, but this was different. Maybe that's part of why I was afraid. Kate wasn't like the people I had slept with before. She didn't want this from me for a night or a few days, she wanted this from me because she loved me and because I loved her. I pulled her closer, wrapping my arms around her waist as I deepened the kiss.

"I love you," I whispered when she pulled away, stroking her cheek with my thumb as she smiled up at me, giggling a little.

"I love you too, Chloe," she said softly, taking my hand and leading me towards the bed. "Just relax. We have all the time in the world." I nodded, feeling a little more calm as she spoke. She sat down on the bed, taking her hair out of its bun, her hair running down her shoulders and back like a river of gold. I felt my knees weaken a little when her eyes met mine, my heart melting into a puddle.

"You're gorgeous," I breathed, leaning down to kiss her, cupping her cheeks. She smiled against my lips, filling me with warmth as she tugged at the sides of my tunic. I felt her tensing a little as she moved her hands lower, wrapping her arms around my waist and grabbing for my ass. I jumped a little, surprised by the contact. I laughed, watching Kate's cheeks grow even darker from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she stammered out breathlessly, starting to pull her hands away. I grabbed her wrists, keeping her hands where they were as I smirked down at her.

"Don't be sorry, I'm all yours," I whispered kissing her again. She pulled me close, squeezing my butt with her hands. I let out a small moan, feeling something awaken in me at the idea that Kate wanted me as much as I wanted her. Laying her down on the bed, I climbed on top of her, kissing her neck as I let my fingers start to untie the gown she was wearing. She let out a small whimper as I bit down on the sensitive skin along her throat, finally getting the front of the gown undone. I felt my pulse rising, my heart hammering against my ribs as I pulled away a little, looking down at her as I dragged my fingers along the edge of her gown. I looked into her eyes, silently asking for permission. She nodded, bringing her hands up to my head, tangling her fingers in my hair as she brought me down for another kiss. I tugged at her gown, tugging it loose and pulling it down her body.

When I pulled away to help her get the gown all the way off, I was shell shocked, my heart skipping a beat in my chest before it began to race again. Kate's skin was pale and perfect, her breasts were probably the best I'd ever seen. Her hair was tossed this way and that beneath her head, her pupils blown wide from the arousal I felt pumping through my own veins. My eyes traveled down to where her gown covered the lower half of her body, making me swallow dryly as I tried to catch my breath.

"Jesus Christ," I breathed, making Kate giggle.

"Let's leave our Lord and Savior out of this," she teased breathlessly, grabbing at my tunic impatiently. "Help me get this thing off, it's way too tight." I let out a shaky breath as I moved off of the bed, grabbing the gown and pulling it all the way off. I let it fall to the floor, trying to ignore the way my cheeks felt like they were going to burst into flames.

"I… I should take this stuff off probably," I stammered, doing my best to take my eyes off of Kate's body. She sat up on the bed, getting to her feet and pressing her body against me, making me feel a little faint. I let out a small whimper, scolding myself for not being able to hold it together. I wanted this so badly it hurt, but I had to stay in control, I had to make sure that I didn't hurt her.

"It's ok," she whispered, taking my hands in hers and guiding them so that they were around her waist. "Just relax. This doesn't have to be difficult."

"I don't want to hurt you," I whispered breathlessly, looking down into her sweet, hazel eyes. She smiled up at me, kissing me softly.

"I trust you, Chloe," she replied softly, her eyes locked with mine. "I'm not scared of you." I chuckled softly, nodding as I looked down between us. The only thing left on Kate's body were her small clothes. I was still wearing every piece of clothing I'd put on after my bath. I took a deep breath, going to take my tunic off, but Kate stopped me, giving me a slight smirk as she toyed with the hem of my tunic. "May I?" I nodded, lifting my arms over my head as she lifted the tunic up and off of me. I hadn't put on a breast band because they were uncomfortable to sleep in so Kate moved her hands straight to my trousers, taking the thin laces into her shaking fingers. I kissed her forehead, smiling down at her as I went to steady her shaking hands. Her hair shimmered in the flickering candlelight, the soft strands lying against her back and cascading down her shoulders. When she got my trousers undone, she pulled them down, letting them pool around my ankles. I kicked them off, suddenly feeling self-conscious as Kate examined me, her delicate fingers tracing the long scar that went from my collar bone to my left breast. She smiled gently, kissing where the scar began. I moaned softly, letting my eyes close as I savored the warmth of her lips on my skin. I opened my eyes after a moment, looking down at her. She wrapped her arms around me so that her hands were on my back, dragging her nails along my skin.

"Fuck," I breathed, leaning down to capture her lips in mine. I laid her down on the bed again, reminding myself to go slow as I kissed her, biting down on her bottom lip. She moaned softly, her nails digging into my shoulder blades as I kissed down her neck. I got to her chest, kissing between her breasts, moving my hand down her stomach towards her small clothes. Taking one of her nipples into my mouth, I couldn't help the wave of desire that flooded me as she let out a moan, holding onto a handful of my hair.

My right hand reached the waistband of her small clothes, getting a shaky gasp from the smaller girl that laid beneath me. I looked up at her, meeting her eyes as I moved my hand over the cloth, stroking at the damp spot between her thighs. She gasped, arching her back a little. I smiled despite myself, kissing her tenderly as I rubbed tiny circles into the damp spot, letting Kate's moans fill my ears like music.

"Please, Chloe," she pleaded when I pulled out of the kiss. I smiled down at her, kissing her sweetly before leaving a trail of bites and kisses down her chest and stomach. Moving my fingers under her waistband, I pulled her smallclothes down, tossing them to the floor. I gently ran my fingers up her thighs, spreading them apart as I kissed down the inside of her right thigh. She moaned softly, her hips twitching with anticipation. I looked down to her sex then up to meet her eyes again. She had this confused look on her face like she didn't understand what I was about to do. I smiled back at her, using my right hand to spread her lips apart so that I could gently kiss the swollen bud of nerves just above her slit. Kate's hips jumped, her surprised yelp bringing a smile to my lips.

"Is this ok?" I asked, taking the nub into my mouth and sucking gently. Kate didn't answer, but her loud moans and arched back were enough to tell me that she was enjoying it. I felt her arousal covering my chin and mouth as I continued, teasing her entrance with my tongue. I felt her grab a fistful of my hair, pulling me closer to her sex. She was starting to pulse around my tongue, so I knew that she was close. I held her hips down with my hands, lapping at her sensitive bud until I felt her tense beneath my hands.

"Chloe!" She cried out, her eyes screwed shut as her climax crashed over her in waves. I smiled, slowing my motions so that she could ride it out. When she finally went slack, I pulled away, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Kate looked up at me with half-lidded eyes, her chest still heaving as she tried to catch her breathe. "Holy shit," she breathed. I laughed, crawling back up her body as I kissed her softly before laying down beside her.

"How was that?" I asked softly, brushing a strand of sweat soaked hair out of her face. It was rather hot in the room when I thought about it. I wished that we had windows or something.

"How did you do that?" She asked breathlessly, watching me in tired disbelief. I giggled, pulling her close to me so that I could feel her warm skin against mine.

"I'll have to teach you sometime," I replied, kissing her forehead. "But for now, you should get some sleep." I dragged the covers over us, holding Kate close as she watched me.

"But what about you?" She asked sheepishly, her eyes clouded with exhaustion and love. "You didn't… You know…"

"Don't worry about me," I said softly, stroking her hair as I smiled at her. "We'll get to that some other time." She pursed her lips, wanting to protest, but just cuddled closer to me, burying her head on my chest.

"I can't believe that we're naked," she said, her voice slightly muffled. I laughed, burying my face in her hair.

"Go to sleep, you silly goose."


	21. Chapter 21

Victoria's POV

"Victoria," Max whispered. She was laying in the same position she had been the past few days. I was laying next to her, an arm laid over her midsection as I tried to fall asleep. I groaned my response, my nearly sleeping brain coming back to the waking world. "Do you hear that?" She asked, making me sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes, pricking my ears for whatever it was she was talking about. When I was done positioning myself, I could hear the sound of someone's voice through the wall, but I couldn't tell who it was. I felt my cheeks heat up when I realized what the sounds meant, filling my insides with nervous butterflies.

"Yeah," I whispered, unsure of what else to say.

"Do you think they're…" The question was there, she didn't even need to finish the sentence. I just nodded, wishing that I couldn't hear it.

"I think so," I replied, clearing my throat and laying back down, my back to Max. "Just try to sleep, they'll stop eventually."

"But it's been like this for the past two days," Max whined. She had a lot less trouble moving now, so she turned onto her side and snuggled up against me, making the butterflies even worse when I felt her chest pressed against my back. "How do they even have enough energy to… And why are they so loud?" She buried her face between my shoulder blades.

"Maybe it's really fun," I said softly, wishing that she would fall asleep. If Max went to sleep then I could at least service myself a little to release the tension building in my core. I just wished that Max and I were the ones blowing the roof off of these rooms instead of them.

"Oh, Kate!" Chloe's voice broke through the wall that separated the rooms, making Max jump. She squeezed me tighter, groaning a little. I felt her legs intertwining with mine, her thigh between my legs. I clutched at the covers, praying to whatever god was laughing at me to take out my hearing and nerve endings for a night so that I wouldn't have to endure this. Max's warmth pressed against me was like torture. But part of me couldn't help wondering if I could get Max to say my name like that.

Max must've been thinking something similar because she moved closer to me, pressing her thigh against my core. I whimpered softly, feeling her lips gently pressed against the back of my neck. Her hands moved up my stomach until they were on my chest, her thin fingers gently massaging my breasts.

"Max," I whispered, using every last scrap of willpower I had to stop myself from grinding myself against her thigh. She just kissed my neck, biting gently at where my shoulder and neck connected, making me moan softly.

"It's ok," she whispered, kissing my cheek. "We won't go all the way if you don't want to, but you need to relax a little."

"What about you?" I asked, gasping sharply when she took one of my nipples between her index finger and thumb, pinching it gently.

"Don't worry about me," she replied, moving her hands down to find the hem of my tunic. "Just do what you need to do so you can get some sleep." I swallowed hard, sparks igniting beneath my skin as her fingertips traveled up my belly to my breasts again. "Just tell me where you want me and I'll do my best." I moaned when her warm hands connected with my skin, making my hips twitch against her thigh. The friction sent a jolt through me, making me screw my eyes shut to keep myself from moaning again.

"You don't have to do this," I managed to choke out as Max shifted, her thigh rubbing against me as she kissed my neck again.

"I want to," she whispered, starting to move back and forth. I moaned, feeling the pressure in my core tightening with each pressing motion. I felt like my whole body was being set ablaze and I loved it, I wanted the heat to consume me. I wanted Max to consume me.

"Fuck," I breathed, hearing Max chuckle next to my ear, her fingers still doing their amazing work on my breasts, making the coil of pressure even tighter. I was already so close, but I wanted to enjoy this. Finding Max's wrist, I wrapped my fingers around it and guided her right hand down to the waistband of my trousers. She tensed a little, stopping herself completely.

"Are you sure?" She asked, making me groan a little in frustration, but I just nodded, turning my head a little as she raised herself above me to look into my eyes.

"I'm sure," I whispered, catching her lips in a kiss before she could respond. Granted, this wasn't the most comfortable position, but I didn't want to move so that we were face to face in case things got too heated and Max opened up her wound again. She traced her fingers under the edge of my trousers, filling my body with an unbearable heat at the idea of what was about to happen. She deepened the kiss, tracing her tongue along my bottom lip.

But before anything else could happen, a huge bang made us both jump out of our own skin, getting a surprised yelp from Max.

"Shit," she said, jumping out of bed stiffly. I threw the covers off me, following behind her as she opened the door that lead out onto the deck.

"Maxine, you can't be walking around so much, you'll hurt yourself," I said firmly, grabbing her wrist to pull her back. Her hand was on the doorknob as she looked back at me, her gray eyes shimmering in the candle light.

"I'll be fine," she said, grabbing her sword from where it sat next to the door. "Now stay here, alright?" Her voice was firm and the smile that she'd worn before was gone in an instant. She threw the door open and I grabbed her by the shoulder, staring into her eyes with all of the ferocity that I could muster in that moment.

"If you think for one second that I'm going to let you go out there and fight alone, then you're dead wrong," I said, grabbing the dagger on the dresser next to us. Max just gave me a small smile, pulling me in for a kiss before turning and running onto the deck.

When we got out there, the air was ablaze with cannon fire and filled with the sound of shouting men and gunshots. Just as Max and I were about to run to help the crew, Chloe and Kate burst out of Chloe's room, breathing heavily underneath their barely thrown on clothes and messy hair. I would've laughed at them both if the situation was different.

"Captain!" One of the crew called out, drawing Chloe's attention away from the ship that had their cannons aimed right for the Arcadia.

"What the fuck is going on, Liam?" Chloe shouted, holding her sword tightly in her hand. Kate had a musket in her right hand, her eyes wide as she stared at the ship in the distance. It was hard to make out the figure it had on its sails, but I knew almost instantly that it wasn't a ship from any army.

"It appears that the White Knight has fired warning shots," the crewman replied. Chloe let out a frustrated sigh, lowering her sword and running her fingers through her hair.

"Fly the white flag, tell the crew to stand down," she said, shaking her head as she turned to Kate and smiled sweetly.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped at her, my chest filling with a boiling rage. "Why are you surrendering?" Chloe gave me a satisfied smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What? You didn't know that pirates could have friends?" She asked, causing Max to chuckle beside me. I threw her a glare, making her shrink away a little. I felt something soften in me, but it didn't stop me from being angry.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, looking back at Chloe. She looked past me, giving Max a knowing smile. There was a bit of a pause as the crew put everything back in order, the air suddenly much calmer as the night air chilled us all. I turned around and looked at Max expectantly, getting a nervous smile in return as she avoided my gaze.

"Well, we know the captain of the White Knight," she said simply. "We met him on one of our jobs in South Africa."

"Then why was he pointing cannons at us?" I asked, feeling my frustration begin to ebb at the way Max fidgeted under my gaze.

"It's how we say hello," a man's voice interrupted, taking my attention from Max for a moment. A man who was about as tall as Chloe stood near the railing of the ship, his hands on his hips as he smiled at us. He must've just climbed up the side of the ship after being on a rowboat from his ship. He took a few steps forward, feigning a confidence that made me roll my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked, not really liking the way he smiled at Max, almost ignoring everyone else.

"I'm Captain Warren Graham of the White Knight," he replied a little too proudly, holding out a hand for me to shake. Every fiber of my being screamed at me not to shake his hand, but I did anyway. I wasn't raised to be impolite. Well, not always. "And who are you?"

"Lady Victoria Chase," I replied, finishing the handshake as quickly as I could. I was shorter than him, but that wouldn't stop me from showing him that I was far superior to him. He just smiled at me, the feeling of genuine happiness I saw in it making me feel guilty for feeling so strangely irritated by him. Well, I did feel guilty, but only until he turned away from me and pulled Max into a hug that put a slightly uncomfortable look on her face, her nose scrunching up a little. And I would've thought the face she made was adorable if Captain Graham holding her close wasn't setting an angry flame ablaze in my gut.

"Max! It's been so long," he greeted her, ruffling her hair. "How've things been?" There was a long pause as everyone looked at each other, but my eyes were locked on Graham, watching his every move. He had Max hugged to his side now, looking at each of our faces.

"We just took off from France," Chloe said, taking a few steps forward and holding out her hand for Graham to shake. "It's a pleasure to see you, Captain, as always." There was a hint of teasing in her voice, but she was smiling like it was true.

"Ah, the most romantic place on planet earth," he said, smiling at all of us. When he finally let go of Max, she took a step away from him, smiling as sweetly as she could.

"Yeah, it's really beautiful there," she said sheepishly, looking up at me with shy eyes that made me smile a little, lessening the tension in my body.

"Pas aussi beau que toi," I said with a smile, feeling slightly embarrassed when I felt everyone's eyes suddenly on me. They couldn't have known what I said, but still. Max blushed a little, looking away from me.

"Wow, you speak French?" Warren asked, his eyes lighting up a little. I cleared my throat, smirking a little.

"Oui," I replied, taking a few steps towards them and wrapping my arm around Max's waist, pulling her close. "Come now, Maxine. You've had a long few days and need your rest." I couldn't help the way my smirk grew when I saw Graham's features fall a little.

"But, I -" Max started to protest but stopped, letting out a little squeak when I moved my hand a little lower, grabbing at her rear as I moved her towards her room.

"Don't be so stubborn," I replied, leaning down and whispering in her ear. "Permettez- moi de prendre soin de vous, ma douce." Max just let out a shaky sigh, following as I lead her back to her room.

"Don't have too much fun in there, Chase," Chloe called after me, making me blush a little.

"Shut up or I'll make a noise complaint," I fired back, wishing that I could've turned around to see the looks of embarrassment I got from Chloe and Kate, but I also didn't want to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing the blush on my own cheeks. When I let go of Max and closed the door behind us, I heard her sit down on the bed before her suddenly squeaky voice broke the short silence.

"What was that all about?" She asked, her eyes wide as she watched me. I cleared my throat, holding my chin high.

"I'm not sure what you mean," I replied, walking around to the side of the bed I'd been laying on before Captain Graham decided to ruin our fun.

"You - but… You grabbed my… and you got all -" Max stammered, watching me with wide eyes and pink cheeks.

"What, you didn't like it?" I asked, feeling suddenly guilty when I saw the way Max deflated a little. I sighed, moving to sit so that I was facing her fully, taking her hands in mine. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I just… I don't know. He was being really touchy." That got a smirk out of Max as she met my eyes, making me feel even more embarrassed.

"Oh, you're jealous," she said, grinning at me. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Jealous?" I asked sharply, but it didn't have as much bite to it as I hoped. "Of that simpleton? He has nothing that I want." Max's grin didn't fade as she gently glided her fingertips down my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"You're right," she whispered, leaning closer to me until her lips were barely a breath away from mine. "You shouldn't be jealous," she whispered, closing the gap and kissing me tenderly, her hand slowly moving from my arm to my shoulder as she pushed me backwards onto the mattress. I let her lay down on top of me, feeling fire in my core as she traced her tongue along my bottom lip. She was so warm against me, her gentle hands gripping at my clothes as I moaned into the kiss, feeling the world around me fade into nothingness. There was only Max. Her hands, her lips, her chest pressed to mine as I felt warmth wash over in a way that I didn't know was possible. It filled me to the brim, making me wish that I could give her everything in that moment so that she'd never want for anything in life again. She deserved that more than most people did. "I'm yours." Was all she said when she pulled away for air, laying her head down on my chest and closing her eyes. My heart was racing in my chest, making my vision a little hazy as I panted softly, the small puffs of air brushing against her hair.

"I love you," I whispered, my heart thudding in my chest as I realized that I'd said it out loud. But Max just giggled, looking up at me and kissing my cheek.

"I love you too, Victoria."


	22. Chapter 22

Max's POV

We eventually got to a small island in the Caribbean, deciding to stay in an inn near the docks. It was just after sunset when we made port, but the small ocean side village was alive with music and laughter, people dancing and drinking and everything else in between. There was a strange mixture of people around, pirates and locals alike, partying endlessly. This was always how it was whenever Chloe brought us here. It was her favorite place that we'd ever visited and was surprisingly easy to hide out in, despite the English and Spanish colonies. The island we were on was a lot like a sanctuary for people like us. There was no law enforcement of any kind, except for when someone broke a rule that really mattered, then we took care of whoever broke said rule.

The only downside was that things like stealing and fights were usually totally fine. But if you kept an eye and a hand on your money and other belongings, usually nothing got stolen. I usually didn't like staying here unless it we needed to at a time like this when we had a few different countries chasing us across the globe. Plus Chloe and I usually made a lot of money on fights out here. In a way, we were famous for how many fights we had won in the past and had had more than a few very large men challenge both of us, confident that they would be able to beat a pair of teenage girls in a fight. They had all been wrong, but I wasn't one to judge. Chloe and I had spent our entire lives fighting just to survive. As soon as we stepped into a fight, we knew that we had to win because our lives depended on it. That kind of mentality had come in handy when we left Ireland for the first time.

Victoria had my hand in hers, looking around at the people that were gathered around bonfires and lined along the shore. The starlight was blotched out by the rippling rays of firelight the smell of the night air chased away by the scent of smoke and drinks and food, not to mention the fragrant smell of tropical flowers that always hung in the air in places like this. Victoria looked concerned, like this place would hurt her if she let her guard down. In a way, she wasn't wrong, but I didn't want her to be scared while she was here, since we might have to stay for awhile. I squeezed her hand, smiling at her when she met my eyes. She smiled back, but it was weak and the dark circles under her eyes told me that she hadn't slept much the night before.

It had been about four days since Warren had joined us on our way here, but I'm sure that he was one of her last concerns. Nathan had gotten an infection in his eye that Jack hadn't been able to get rid of. Part of the reason why we were here was to get it looked at by an old friend, a witch doctor who we called Madam Melody. She was an older Scottish woman who had taken Chloe and me in for a week after we first landed on this island. She had actually saved me from having to get my right leg amputated after being bit by a wild dog.

Chloe and Kate were walking at the front of our little group, Chloe's arm wrapped around Kate's waist as we made our way to the inn that we always stayed at while we were here. Then it was Victoria and I, then Jack holding Nathan up behind us. Victoria was tense beside me and I only hoped that maybe I would be able to help her loosen up a little. She needed to relax and having Nathan injured while also being in such a strange place probably didn't make her feel super loose and fancy free.

We walked into the inn and the innkeeper, a very large, dark-skinned man we called Jim, greeted us with tight hugs and a big smile on his face. He was a runaway slave from the Americas who had been living here for almost fifteen years now. He was like a dad to us by now, even though he was only thirty or so.

"My favorite little criminals," Jim exclaimed, ruffling my hair as he pulled Chloe in for another hug. "It's been so long since I've seen you. How have things been?" His voice was deep and warm and reminded me of peaceful nights where he would tell us stories and let Chloe drink a little more than she should.

"Well, to make a long story short," Chloe began as Jim let go of her. "We took two English women hostage, went to France to do a heist on our way to take them back home, ran into an angry nobleman who shot Max, Warren showed up and now we're here with said nobleman so that Madam Melody can fix him up." Jim looked over at me with wide eyes and I smiled back sheepishly, wondering how long his lecture on how I should be resting would be.

"I'm surprised that you're still up and about," he said, smiling warmly at me, but his eyes were full of concern as he looked me over. Then his eyes fell on Kate, Victoria and Nathan, a bit of an exasperated expression on his face. "I take it that these are the English folks you mentioned."

"Yeah, this is Kate and that's Victoria," Chloe said, pointing to each in turn. Both of them nodded a greeting, Victoria even curtsied a little. I held in a smile, taking her hand in mine and kissing her fingers. "And then that's Lord Jerkscott." I could tell that Chloe wanted to use stronger language as she gestured to a practically passed out Nathan.

"What's wrong with him?" Jim asked, taking a step towards Nathan and lifting his chin a little to get a good look at his face. Nathan's right eye was swollen shut and a multitude of colors, including blue, black, green and red. His good eye looked up at Jim and he scoffed, a tired smirk coming to his face.

"Oh good, I'm glad that someone so filthy will be taking care of me," he said, letting his head hang a little. I honestly felt bad for Nathan, even if he was a prick. From what Victoria had told me, he was a good person, despite the whole almost killing me thing. I mean, I'd killed more than my fair share of people before and I still had people who loved me and cared about me. That doesn't mean that killing was something that was ok to do, but we did whatever we had to in order to protect ourselves and the people we loved most. Part of me wondered how many people Nathan had killed, if he regretted killing them. If he would've regretted killing me. He tried to because he wanted to save Victoria and, if I'm honest, I would've done the exact same thing if I thought she was in danger.

Victoria and I took Nathan to Madam Melody, having Chloe and Kate find Warren and bring him back to the inn so that we could make a plan of action when Victoria and I got back. Nathan would be staying with Madam Melody for however long it took her to take care of the infection in his eye. As we walked down the dirt streets of the village, the sound of the celebrations on the beach faded a bit, letting the sounds of the night leak through. The air smelled less of smoke and alcohol and more of the sea and flowers and dirt, relaxing me a little as we made our way to a small hut at the edge of the village. The humble building was no more than ten feet tall at the highest point in the roof and maybe fifteen feet by ten feet wide. I could see candlelight flickering through the windows, the smell of differing plants and incense growing stronger the closer we got.

I paused a few feet before we reached the door, adjusting Nathan against my shoulder. Victoria and I had been holding him up this whole way and my lower back was starting to hurt, especially where the bullet wound was. Nathan didn't smell very good, but I wasn't exactly judging him for that. I probably wouldn't smell like a bed of roses if I'd been sitting in a cell for days on end. I looked over to Victoria to see that she was staring at the door in front of us, her eyes slightly widened with what I can only describe as fear.

"You ok?" I asked, shifting under Nathan's weight. They really did eat well in England, didn't they? Victoria cleared her throat, looking down at the dirt ground beneath her feet.

"Are you sure that she'll be able to make him better?" She asked softly, looking up at Nathan and then moving her eyes to me. I hadn't really thought of how Nathan being this sick must've been affecting Victoria. He was practically her brother, for heaven's sake and Chloe had tried to kill him. I couldn't even begin to imagine how conflicted she must've felt about the whole thing. I just hoped that me trying not to be angry with Nathan would help her in some way, maybe make her feel like she didn't have to make a choice between the two worlds she'd made herself a part of. I smiled a little and nodded, trying to seem as confident as I could.

"I'm absolutely sure," I replied, keeping her gaze locked with mine through sheer will. "Madam Melody isn't just one of those scam artists who'll give you a fake cure for too much money. She really cares about the people she treats. She's saved Chloe and I from tons of stuff. She's even saved me from losing a limb or two." Victoria looked from me to the door in front of us, her brows furrowed as she examined it with cautious eyes. When her eyes met mine again, I tried to smile, wishing that there was something I could do to make her feel better about all of this. I wished that Chloe hadn't tried to kill Nathan, but I didn't blame her for what she did. She thought he had killed me, taking me away from her forever. I probably would've reacted a bit differently, but I understood why she'd done it. "It'll be ok," I said softly, sparing a look at Nathan and his swollen eye, wondering if Madam Melody really would be able to help him. "I promise."

So we moved to stand in front of the door and I knocked on the splintered wood, suddenly feeling nervous. I hadn't seen Madam Melody in years, I had no idea how she would react to seeing me again, or how I would react to seeing her. But when the door opened, my nervousness faded into a dull thud somewhere in my chest. Madam Melody looked exactly the same as when Chloe and I had left. She was taller than me by less than an inch, her long, graying hair tied back in a bun that looked way too tight but never seemed to bother her. She had green eyes with bits of brown around the edges, her smile making them glow just like before. She was smiling at me, the laugh lines around her mouth and crows feet at the corners of her eyes becoming slightly more evident as she looked me over.

"Why, is that little Miss Maxine Caulfield standing at my door?" She asked, her accent as thick as I remembered it. I smiled back at her, chastising myself a little for forgetting about Nathan for a moment.

"I'm afraid so," I said, trying to make my response less humorous than I'd intended it to be. "My friend here has an infection in his eye that Jack couldn't get rid of. Can you help him?" I looked at her pleadingly, knowing that she wouldn't turn me down, but it never hurt to put a little bit of kick behind the request, right? She looked over to Nathan, her eyes searching him over questioningly before she gave a slow nod, motioning for Victoria and I to follow her into the hut.

"Of course," she said, turning to walk back inside. "Just lay him down on the table. I'll see what I can do. You two can go ahead and have a seat when you've gotten him laid out." So we walked in and laid Nathan down on the table in the middle of the hut. He groaned a little, but his eyes didn't open and he didn't move other than moving his head to the side a little. Victoria stood next to him for a moment, her fingers gently gripping his limp hand. I put my hand on her shoulder, wishing that I knew how to comfort her in a time like this. It was hard to know what she was thinking, but I could tell that she was worried. After squeezing his hand and blinking away tears, she turned away, going to sit down at the small table under one of the windows.

"So who is he and why does it look like he's been through hell?" She asked, picking up a few jars and setting them next to Nathan, going to examine his face again. I looked over at Victoria who met my gaze, her eyes brimming with tears. She gave me a little nod and I took her hand in mine, trying to give her a little smile.

"His name is Nathan," I replied, deciding to leave out a few details. "He… He pissed Chloe off a little and she wasn't exactly understanding." Madam Melody turned to me, her eyebrow quirked as her gaze went from me to Victoria and back again.

"What did this poor bastard do to deserve the wrath of Chloe Price?" She asked, looking down at Nathan's face again. She took his chin in her hand, turning it so that she could get a better look at his eye.

"He… He, uh…" I stammered, trying to think of something less severe than what had actually happened. She looked up at me again, her eyebrows raised. I swallowed hard and decided to leave the story for later. "It's a long story. Maybe you can treat him first and then I can explain it all after we've had some time to rest." She looked over at Victoria, her gaze softening before going back to work.

"Alright," she said, beginning to open one of the jars. "You two should go back to wherever you're staying. Come back in the morning." I stood, helping Victoria from her seat. When I made a step towards the door, I turned to see the Victoria wasn't moving. She stayed where she was, staring almost blankly at Nathan.

"I want to stay here," Victoria said softly, watching Nathan closely. His chest was rising and falling slowly, but he was completely still other than that. "I want to stay and make sure he's alright." Madam Melody looked up at her with soft eyes, but her voice was firm when she spoke.

"I promise that I will save your friend," she told Victoria, keeping their eyes locked as she spoke. "You don't have to worry. Just go and get some rest. Staying here and watching me won't make you feel any better and it certainly won't make my work go any faster."

"But -"

"No buts," Madam Melody said, motioning to the door. "I understand your concern, but I can't have you breathing down my neck until your friend is well. Now please leave so I can get to work." Victoria looked angry, like she wanted to argue more, but the combination of me tugging on her hand a little and Madam Melody's stare made her give in. She followed me outside and I closed the door behind us, looking up at her to see her features made tense with worry, her jaw tight as she looked in the direction we were walking.

"Victoria," I said softly, coming to a stop. She stopped too, but only because my grip on her hand wouldn't let her go any further. "Come here." I tried to make my voice gentle and quiet, pulling her towards me a little. She took a step towards me, avoiding my gaze as she got close. I let go of her hand, wrapping my arms around her neck to pull her against me a little. I didn't have to wait long for her to speak, but she still wouldn't look at me.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" She asked, her voice soft. I smiled a little, tilting her chin up a little so that she would meet my gaze. What I wouldn't give to take the pain from those beautiful eyes, to lighten the burden she must've felt.

"I know he will," I whispered. "Worrying so much won't help him get better any faster. If anything, it'll just make you sick." It sounded harsh, but I tried to say it as gently as I could, letting a bit of amusement sneak into my voice to lighten it. She laughed softly, nodding a little before letting out a sigh.

"I hate when you're right," she replied, putting her hands on my hips. "Plus, I think poor Nathan would be quite upset if he knew that I had such a beautiful woman within my reach and didn't at least give her some attention." I laughed, shaking my head as I pulled away a little.

"Well, you sure did perk up at the idea of giving me whatever attention you're thinking about," I teased, starting to walk back towards the village. But before I could take a step, Victoria pulled me back to her by my wrist, wrapping her arms around my waist to press our hips together. The action made me gasp and the contact made my heart thud against my ribs. She was looking down at me with hungry eyes, watching me the way a cat watches a mouse.

"I can't help myself," she whispered, kissing me so sweetly that my knees shuddered beneath me. I was just glad that she was holding me so close to stop me from literally falling head over heels. "You're so beautiful, Maxine. Just seeing you fills me with something that I've never known before. You make me want to do things that I've never thought I'd do before." My mouth was going dry as she spoke and I was pretty sure that my heart was about to explode, but the heat that was growing in my gut combined with extreme nervousness made me freeze where I stood. Which just so happened to be pressed against the most beautiful woman I had ever known. And she was saying things I'd never heard anyone say before, but the craziest part was that she was saying them to me of all people. She leaned in close to me, whispering in my ear. "Je t'aime, Maxine. Je veux vous donner mon cœur, chéri." I let out a shaky sigh, her words sending sparks up and down my spine.

"That's not fair," I said sort of breathlessly, my cheeks growing warm. "I can't understand what you're saying."

"You don't like it?" She asked, looking down at me with a smirk tugging at her lips. I swallowed dryly, trying to remember what I was supposed to be doing before she started doing whatever this was.

"I… You… It's just… It sounds really nice," I stammered, feeling myself blush from my neck to the tips of my ears. Victoria grinned at me, leaning in like she was about to kiss me, but stopped just a breath from my lips.

"Let's go find a quiet place so that I can do things that feel nice too," she whispered, a whimper escaping my lips at her words. God, I wanted her so badly that I was practically aching for her. She looked down at me with gentle eyes, but there was a fire in them that made me shake a little.

"Ok," I replied softly, my voice weaker than I'd thought it would be. Sure, I thought about how something like this would go with Victoria about a hundred times, but even after she'd decided to stay, I wasn't sure that it would actually happen. I had been convinced that I would mess up somehow and everything would go to shit because I didn't know how to be in a relationship like the one I had with Victoria.

"Are you sure?" Victoria asked, her voice suddenly lacking the low, sultry quality it had before. Now she was looking down at me like I was fragile, her brows pressed together a little to show that adorable wrinkle in the middle of her forehead. I couldn't help smiling up at her, wishing that I could drown myself in her eyes.

"I'm sure," I whispered, cupping her cheek in my hand and leaning up for a kiss. It was soft and slow, her hands gently tugging at my tunic, lighting sparks under my skin. "But we should probably get back to the inn first," I said breathlessly as I pulled away, wishing that we weren't in such a public place.

"Touche," Victoria replied, laughing a little as she took my hand in hers, the two of us walking through the village together. It took everything in me not to run as fast as I could back to the inn.

It was still crowded when we got there, but Kate and Chloe were nowhere to be seen. I found myself internally begging Chloe not to be in the room we'd checked into for the four of us. Maybe she was out on the beach with Kate, showing her around and showing her off. We were supposed to all meet up to make a plan of action for however long we'd be staying on the island, but I was hoping that didn't mean they were all waiting upstairs for us.

Victoria and I weaved our way through the crowd of men and women drinking and dancing around us. The air reeked of sweat and alcohol, making me a bit dizzy as Victoria pulled me towards the stairs. The atmosphere felt thick and alive with excitement, causing my heart to beat faster in my chest. This place always had a way of making me feel a bit buzzed, even when I hadn't had anything to drink. It was a strange sort of mob mentality that made everyone lose themselves in the chaos that surrounded them. At least it wasn't the same kind of chaos that I often found in large fights or battles, though the feeling of slowly being crushed by the bodies around you was the same.

When we finally got to our room, I stopped, tugging Victoria back a little. She stopped, turning around to look at me with concerned eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked, only sounding slightly annoyed under the gentle tones of nervousness and caution. "Did you change your mind? We don't have to… You know… You can always just say no, I won't be angry." She was talking fast and the nervous look on her face made me giggle a little, which stopped her from talking and her expression changed to a more irritated one. She narrowed her eyes a bit, but didn't let go of my hand. "What's so funny?"

"You're just so cute when you're trying to be nice," I said with a smile, kissing her cheek. She blushed when I pulled away to look at her, lowering her gaze a little. She gave me a shrug and a smile that made my insides melt.

"Whatever, Caulfield," she said sharply, but it didn't have the same bite as it would've before as she ran her fingers through her short blond hair. She would probably want to cut it again soon, seeing as it was getting a bit longer than it had been. "Were you going to say something or not?"

"Oh, right," I said, laughing at myself a little. "I was gonna say that we should make sure that the others aren't in there. Otherwise, things would be… Well… Awkward." Victoria laughed, stepping towards me.

"What? You don't want them to see what I'm going to do to you when we get in there?" She asked, her eyes dangerous and hungry again. It made my stomach clench, but not in an unpleasant way. No, if anything it was far too pleasant. I tried to answer, but my words were caught in my throat and nothing I could do would make them come out. Victoria got even closer, looking down into my eyes. "Don't worry, I'm sure that the whole of the Caribbean will hear you scream my name soon enough." I swallowed dryly, my eyes wide as I looked up into her dark green gaze. She just grinned at me then, kissing me tenderly for a few seconds before moving to open the door. I stared after her as she swung open the large, wooden door, looking around the room and walking in. It took us both a moment to realize that I hadn't followed her. She peeked out of the doorway and smiled at me. "You coming?" She asked, making me wish that I had the ability to speak so that I could say something clever, but it was impossible. So I just nodded and followed her inside, kicking the door shut behind me.

Victoria turned to me, taking both my hands in hers and pulling me towards her. I couldn't resist, and I didn't really want to. I felt like I was about to explode or maybe pass out from the pounding of my heart and the feelings coiling themselves into a knot somewhere below my stomach. When I was pressed against her again, Victoria smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. She had a different look in her eyes now, like I was something important to her, not just some girl, someone who could fight and kill and survive and take care of herself. No, in that moment, I didn't feel like any of those things. I felt scared and small and more nervous than I had ever been in my entire life. Because I was about to do something with Victoria that I had never imagined doing with anyone before, not even those pretty girls that Chloe would point out to me or the tall men with large muscles that always offered to buy us drinks.

"You can always say no," Victoria whispered, her hands rested lightly on my hips. "Especially if you're about to pass out on me." She was joking, but it was definitely a possibility. You'd think that being a pirate and a criminal and having stared death in the face on a daily basis would've given me a little tougher skin, but this was new territory for me. Part of me almost wished that I was fighting six men at once instead of looking up into Victoria's eyes, her body so close to mine that I could feel her warmth like it was the only thing in this world worth feeling.

"Maxine?" She asked, her voice full of concern as I focused back on her. "Maybe we shouldn't do this. You look like you might actually pass out." She was pulling away now, a sort of dejected look to her that made my heart ache. I didn't want to stop, I didn't want to say no or turn back or anything. And I especially didn't want her to have that sad look on her face.

"Wait," I managed to squeak out, pulling her back to me by the sleeve of the tunic I'd let her borrow. She looked down at me with surprised, expectant eyes. It took a few moments and several deep breaths, but I was finally able to regain myself. Well, as much as I could under the circumstances. "I'm sorry. I want this, I've just never… I never thought that I'd… You know, I didn't think we would - or that you would ever wanna… Like, I didn't think you'd want to with me, because I'm all," I gestured to myself, wishing that my tongue could manage to untie itself. I wasn't really sure of what I was trying to get at, but I knew that it had something to do with how I was Max Caulfield and she was Victoria Chase.

"Max," she said softly, smiling at me and making me look up at her again. She had a gentle smile on her face, making my tension fade a bit. "You're perfect, understand?" She cupped my cheek with her hand, kissing me softly. "Do you trust me?" I looked up at her, nodding slowly, but I was sure. So, unbelievably sure.

"I'd trust you with my life if you asked me to," I whispered, surprising myself a little, but I knew it was true. Anything Victoria wanted, I would give it to her if it was within my abilities to give. She'd given up a perfect, completely planned out life to stay with me and I would spend the rest of my life showing her that I loved her just as much. She deserved that much and so much more. She chuckled and kissed my forehead, smiling sweetly at me.

"No need for that right now, my love," she said softly, taking my hand and walking backwards towards the bed. "All I need from you right now is to let go of whatever it is that's stopping you from enjoying yourself." I smiled back at her, following her tentatively. "I've never done anything like this either, so we'll just take things slow. One step at a time." I nodded as she pulled me against her, leaning up to kiss her. I relaxed as her lips met mine, our bodies moving together in a way that reminded me of dancing or even sparing. She pulled me close, her hands clutching at my tunic as I lightly ground my hips against hers for a moment. We both gasped a little and I giggled into the next kiss, catching Victoria's smile as I moved to kiss her neck. This was always my favorite, I loved feeling the way her pulse jumped beneath my lips, the way she shivered against my touch. She gasped softly, tilting her head to the side as I wrapped my arms around her midsection, my hands on the small of her back.

"How are you so good at that?" She breathed, tangling her fingers in my hair. I smirked against her skin and bit down gently on the soft flesh just above her collarbone.

"You have no frame of reference," I joked, feeling her tug at my hair as I began to suck at her pulse point. She giggled, but it turned into a gasp as I moved up to kiss her lips again, biting down on her bottom lip. I don't really know how it happened, but in that moment, my nervousness faded away, almost like it had never existed. All that tension and strain I had felt turned into a molten hot sensation in my gut, spilling over the more I kissed her. I never would've imagined that I could want this so much, that I could want someone so much. She tugged at my tunic when we pulled away for air, breathing heavily as she looked at me with half-lidded eyes.

"Off with this," she breathed, tugging on my tunic as she moved to kiss my cheek and then my jawline, moving to my ear and nibbling on it. I let out a gasp, trying to regain my focus.

"A please would've been nice," I somehow managed to joke, pulling the tunic over my head and throwing it to the ground. I wasn't wearing a breast band, but I couldn't remember why. Something about how I wouldn't need it since we wouldn't be out and about all day? But that didn't really matter right now. What did matter was the way that Victoria was staring at my chest, her eyes wide as she licked her lips. My heart skipped a beat, but I managed to laugh a little, rubbing the back of my neck as I watched her sheepishly. "I promise you that there isn't much to look at."

"Shut up," she said breathlessly, kissing me hard. I gasped sharply when I felt a cold hand cover my left breast, but I didn't pull away. It was shocking at first, but I had never minded how cold Victoria's hands were since I always felt like I was way too warm. She palmed the soft flesh gently, my chest tightening with each movement, the sensation of her hand against my bare skin filling my body with fire. We had been in a situation like this back in France, but I'd still had a shirt on then and we'd both known that it wasn't going to go all the way. She turned us around, shoving me onto the bed and crawling on top of me, straddling my hips as she sat up to take off her shirt. I watched in awe, admiring the way her skin glowed in the moonlight that spilled through the windows and the way candle light flickered against her figure. She was still wearing a breast band, but just the idea of there only being one layer of clothing between her bare skin and mine made me groan softly.

"Come here," I begged breathlessly, pulling her down on top of me, my fingers clutching at her soft, blond hair. She kissed me hard, tracing her tongue along the seam of my lips. My lips parted on instinct and I moaned softly when her tongue met mine. I let go of her hair, moving my hands to unlace her breast band, surprised when I was able to get it untied without looking at it. I guess I had a bit of an incentive to get it off quickly, but I was still surprised when it actually came off. I let it fall onto the bed, tracing my fingertips along the form of Victoria's ribs, taking it slow so that I didn't scare her off.

She groaned softly into my mouth, moving her hips back and forth on top of me in a way that made me smirk a little. Teasing must've been a good way to get her going. She pressed herself against me, the sensation of her soft skin against mine making me gasp. Her breasts were larger than I'd expected, but not huge. They felt perfect pressed against me. She felt perfect pressed against me, especially like this, just skin on skin, nothing to separate us.

I felt her shift above me, moving so that one of her legs were between my thighs and vise versa. She pressed her thigh up against me, making me gasp at the pressure and sudden throbbing I felt in my core. I started to move up and down against it, the slight pain I felt in my lower back from my injury totally worth the amazing friction I felt between my thighs, a pressure building inside me that I barely recognized.

"Wait," Victoria said breathlessly, getting up from the bed and tugging down her pants. I propped myself up on my elbows, watching with wide eyes as she bent over to pull her trousers down, letting them pool around her ankles before stepping out of them and moving to hook her fingers in the waistband of mine. The only thing left were her small clothes. I swallowed hard, watching as she looked up at me with eyes that were far more pupil than green by now. "Can I try something?" I giggled a little, nodding.

"They were gonna come off eventually, right?" I joked, but I was still trying to catch my breath. She smirked up at me, slowly pulling my trousers down to reveal my small clothes. She threw the trousers onto the floor and moved back up my legs, kissing the insides of my right thigh. I moaned softly, the sound surprising me a little because I had to work to keep it quiet.

"You don't have to hold back," Victoria said softly, moving her hands up the outsides of my thighs. "They won't hear you."

"But you will," I retorted, my eyes fluttering shut as she bit down on the sensitive skin that came just before where my small clothes began. I let out a low, soft moan, loving the way Victoria gently dug her nails into my thighs. She hooked her fingers into the waistband of my small clothes, pulling them down and dropping them on the floor. I opened my eyes, feeling my face heat up and my heart pound so hard in my chest that I was pretty sure it would burst out of my chest or explode inside of it.

"Are you ready?" She asked, looking up at me from between my legs. I put my hands over my face and groaned softly. It was stupid, but I was so embarrassed. I'd only been naked in front of Chloe before and we'd never exactly lingered on the subject. I nodded, keeping my hands over my face. I felt the bed shift and Victoria's heat above me. I made a small gap between my fingers to see her smiling down at me. She took my hand in hers, kissing my fingers. "You're gorgeous, Maxine. Just relax, ok? Say something if I do anything you don't like." I just nodded, feeling myself relax a little. She leaned down, kissing me softly before kissing down my neck and chest, leaving bite marks and red and purple spots against my skin. I felt my chest heaving, my breaths short and quick. She kissed down my torso until her lips met the skin between my belly button and where my smallclothes would've started before she took them off, my heart skipping a beat when she met my eyes and lowered herself down between my thighs. I felt my inner walls pulse in anticipation, making me whimper a little. Victoria just smirked at me, lowering her mouth and kissing gently. I barely managed to hold back a moan, the sound strangled and high, my eyes fluttering shut.

"Oh my god," I gasped, clutching at the bed sheets beneath me as Victoria used her tongue to explore me. I let out a long, barely quieted moan as pleasure surged through me in waves, my eyes clenched shut until I was convinced that I was seeing stars. I reached down, clumsily grabbing for a fistful of Victoria's blond hair, pulling her closer. She hummed her approval, the vibrations of it forcing a gasp from my lips. She found a sensitive spot, a little bundle of nerves that I'd found before, and took it into her mouth, sucking gently. I stopped trying to keep myself from making noise by that point, practically screaming to the ceiling as my insides coiled and tensed, heat building in my gut like a wildfire. "Victoria!" It was louder than I would've wanted it to be, but I couldn't stop myself because I was falling over the edge, the pressure inside me releasing in an explosion that made me see white.

It all pulsed through me so fiercely that I was sure that my body would fall apart at the seams, my soul the only thing left behind for Victoria to have forever. The pulses got smaller and softer until they finally began to fade, letting me open my eyes to see Victoria laying beside me, smiling sweetly at me. I could barely speak, but even if I was able to, I was sure that it would only end up being something stupid or maybe not even a full sentence. Victoria waited patiently, her green eyes watching me as she ran her thumb down my cheek.

"What was that about you being a virgin?" I asked after finally catching my breath. She laughed softly, shaking her head and propping herself up on her elbow to look down at me.

"I think that you're just easily pleased," she joked, a look on her face so serene that I would've believed that it was really just the two of us, totally alone together, able to stay here like this forever.

"So modest," I teased, leaning up to kiss her. It was slow and lazy, making me feel sort of sleepy, but I could taste myself on her lips which was something I never would've thought of. "Oh, I almost forgot." I sat up and moved to lay down on top of her, kissing her a little harder. She laughed when I pulled away, her cheeks completely red.

"What are you doing?" She asked, sounding more nervous than I would've expected. I just smiled down at her, kissing her cheek.

"Gotta make the pretty lady feel good," I replied, my voice low and as sweet sounding as I could manage. She giggled, rolling her eyes at me, but she didn't protest.

What I remember of the rest of that night is a bit of a blur, but it was probably one of the best memories I'd ever made. Because, in that moment, it really was just her and me, totally vulnerable to each other. All those fears I'd had about letting her get that close were suddenly gone, fading into nothingness as I let my guard down, letting my heart give in to the love I felt for Victoria. I was hers now, and she was mine.


	23. Chapter 23

Kate's POV

It was so loud here, like the whole island was awake and singing along with the people all along the beach. Chloe was pulling me towards the beach, her fingers intertwined with mine as she kicked off her boots and stepped onto the sand. She looked back at me, giving me a smile and a wink.

"Come on, let's go dance with them," she said, taking both my hands and pulling me closer until I was standing in the sand too. I smiled, feeling my cheeks grow warm at the thought of dancing with Chloe. I hadn't been much of a dancer back home and I sure wasn't one now. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of her. "It'll be fun, I promise."

"Ok, but only because you're so adorable," I replied, kissing her on the cheek. She grinned, pulling me towards a crowd that was dancing around a fire that was taller than a full grown man, the sound of loud drum beats and the fluttery sound of flutes growing louder the closer we got. Chloe didn't take us into the thick of the crowd, having us stay near the edge instead, much to my relief. She stopped, smiling down at me as she pulled me close by my hips.

"Is this anything like those big fancy parties the Chase family would throw?" Chloe asked, moving her hips to the music as she pulled me a little closer. I giggled despite myself, wrapping my arms around her neck and starting to move with her. It was strange, very different from any dancing I'd ever done back home. It felt more intimate in a way, the way her hips were pressed to mine and how she was looking down at me with that smirk that made my heart race.

"It's a lot less stiff," I muttered, losing myself in those beautiful blue eyes. She chuckled, leaning in so that her forehead was pressed to mine.

"I'm glad that you're having a good time," she said, hers hands clasped behind me, pressed to the small of my back. I smiled, closing my eyes as I let the music and feeling of Chloe pressed against me move my hips. She was so warm, her hands gentle as they pulled me against her.

"I always do when I'm with you," I replied, wishing that things could be this way forever. Maybe they could be now. Maybe Chloe and I could spend the rest of our lives like this, just us together and happy like we weren't running for our lives. Maybe now that Victoria was here with us, Max could be happy too and the four of us could go on all sort of adventures together. We could be the four most famous pirates in all of Europe. We could fight against oppressive governments and help people create better lives for themselves. We could help give people their freedom back.

The possibilities would've made my head spin if I wasn't pressed so firmly against Chloe, her hands holding me to her so tight that I was sure she'd never let go. Not that I'd ever want her to. She was so sweet and warm and kind and a bit soft despite the muscles I knew laid beneath her skin. I opened my eyes to see her staring down at me, this smile on her face that made her eyes sparkle even more than usual.

"What's the moony-eyed look for?" I teased gently, running my fingers through her blue hair. It was so soft, but the color always shocked me. It had become easier to see the blond roots since her hair had grown out a bit, but the blue was still the dominant color for now.

"You're just so gorgeous," she said, leaning down and kissing me softly. I smiled into the kiss, getting up on my toes to pull her closer. I was lost in the sensations before I could stop myself, wishing that I could stay like this with her forever. She'd stolen my breath away so many times before and she already had my heart, why not hand over my life along with it?

"Is that Chloe Price I see?" A voice that I just barely recognize cut through the air, making me jump a little as Chloe and I pulled away from each other to look in the direction of the voice. I felt my mind scrounging for a name when I laid eyes on the blond girl with her hands on her hips and blue feathered earring hanging from her ear, but I came up empty until Chloe's voice came out in a whisper.

"Rachel?" She said, her eyes locked on the woman that stood a few feet away from us. Rachel smirked, shrugging as she eyed us both.

"That's what they call me," she replied, the look she gave Chloe sending a jolt through me. I felt my stomach tie itself in knots as a sour taste erupted in my mouth. I had rarely been jealous in my life, but in that moment, I hated the way Rachel was staring at Chloe. I didn't want to think that Chloe was mine, that was selfish. But, at the same time, I wanted to be the only one who got to look at her the way Rachel was in that moment.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Chloe asked, letting go of me. My heart sank as I stared off at her, watching her step towards Rachel with an almost intoxicated look in her eyes.

"What? You're not happy to see me?" Rachel shot back almost coldly, but there was a pout to her face that I wish I could've missed. Chloe paused, standing just between Rachel and I. I watched her, wondering what was going through her head and why my heart felt like it was being ripped apart when she took another step towards Rachel and away from me.

"You didn't answer my question," Chloe almost growled. I felt my heart stop. Was this the same Rachel Chloe had mentioned before? The one Max had told me about?

"Chloe?" I said softly, my voice sounding weak even to me. She turned around, the angry fire in her eyes dying almost immediately when her gaze met mine. She stepped towards me, taking my hand and then started leading me back towards the inn, walking past a still smirking Rachel.

"Come on, we're leaving," Chloe said, her voice low and kind of scary sounding.

"But I haven't gotten a chance to say hello to my friend Kate," Rachel said, causing Chloe to stop in her tracks and turn back to me and Rachel. Her eyes were wide with shock as her gaze flicked from me to Rachel and back.

"Do you two know each other?" Chloe asked me. I racked my brain, because she was familiar, but I wasn't sure why.

"Of course we do," Rachel said, walking over and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I was at her 18th birthday ball not too long ago. It was quite the party, the Chases really know how to show people a good time." Memories of that night came rushing back to me all at once, hitting me like rocks thrown into a pond.

"You can't be serious," Chloe said, looking at me with a pleading, hurt look in her eyes. "Is that true? Do you really know her?" I felt myself tense and my heart thudding in my chest.

"I… I did meet her, but I didn't know it was her," I said dumbly, trying to get control of myself. "I'm sorry, Chloe." Chloe looked away from me, her grasp on my hand loosening a little. I felt my heart sink like a rock into my stomach as she let go of me, looking at the ground. She turned away, walking across the sand, away from the village. "Chloe!" I called after her, but I felt a hand on my shoulder stop me from running after her. I spun around to see Rachel watching Chloe with what looked like tears in her eyes, but I couldn't be sure because of how dark it was now.

"She'll come back," Rachel said, a small, fond smile tugging at her lips. "She's not the run off and stay away for too long type." I felt a small spark of anger in my gut at her words. I wanted to call her a bitch, tell her that she was a horrible person for leaving Chloe behind the way she had, but I couldn't. Not when she had that sad look in her eyes. She looked at me and gave me a not so genuine smile, nodding her head towards a small fire that had few people around it. "Come on, I'll tell you why I'm here if you want. Maybe even give you some advice on how to deal with her."

I hesitated, looking back to see that Chloe had become little more than a small, dark silhouette that barely shone against the sand. I sighed, knowing that she wouldn't appreciate me running after her, but also just as sure that she would be extremely angry if I talked with Rachel.

"You and I both know that us talking wouldn't be a good idea," I replied, surprised that I could look into Rachel's eyes in that moment. If I had run into her before this, I probably wouldn't have been able to speak at all. She rolled her eyes, looking exasperated.

"Look, I get that I'm not exactly the town favorite right now, but I'm not a monster," she said, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I didn't say you were," I replied, looking away for a moment. "I just don't want to upset Chloe." Rachel scoffed in amusement, grabbing my wrist so that I would look up at her again.

"Chloe's already upset," she said somewhat firmly, catching me off guard. "But what I have to tell you is way more important than the little tantrum she's throwing." I felt anger boiling in my blood as she spoke, but I didn't pull away, deciding that remaining calm was a better plan than lashing out.

"Fine," I said, pulling my wrist from her grasp. "But whatever you have to say better be worth listening to. I love Chloe and I don't really want to listen to or trust someone who's hurt her as much as you have." Rachel looked taken aback by that, the sad look I'd seen in her before returning to her eyes. But she recovered quickly, nodding a little.

"Alright," she said softly, nodding towards the empty fire again. "I'll make it short." So I followed her, a slight ache in my chest at the way she suddenly looked so much smaller in the firelight with that dejected look on her face. But I also felt angry because I realized that she had made Chloe angry on purpose so that she could talk to me alone. But I didn't say anything. Whatever she had to say, I was going to listen.

She told me that she had been tailing us for a few weeks now and knew the people who were chasing us and how we could get them off our backs. Unfortunately, despite my protests, she refused to tell me the details, only saying that it had something to do with that map Victoria had given to Chloe. It almost felt like we had all totally forgotten the thing, but now its importance was suddenly reemphasized. She said that she needed to talk to Max, but I didn't know where Max was exactly. After a little bit of back and forth and trying to figure out where Max might be, I decided that I had to go look for Chloe.

"Kate," Rachel said as I stood, her eyes trained on the flames that danced in front of her. "Chloe is fragile, you know. Don't… Don't do what I did. If you're not all in, give her up now before it's too late." I blinked down at her, feeling a strange rush of compassion for Rachel. I wanted to ask why she'd left, but I couldn't. Not now when I had to find Chloe.

"Don't worry," I said as gently as I could, smiling a little when she looked up at me. "It's been too late for awhile now. I'm not going anywhere." Rachel nodded, chuckling softly as she leaned her chin down on her forearm that was balanced on her knees.

"Good," she replied. "She doesn't deserve to get her heart broken again."


	24. Chapter 24

Chloe's POV

I was so angry that I was pretty much convinced that my blood was on fire as it pumped through my veins. I stomped down the beach, my mind reeling at having seen Rachel again and at the audacity that it must have taken for her to come back and act so smug. It was almost like she wanted to piss me off on purpose. I mean, who cares if she did, anyway? It's not like I wanted to see her in the first place. But to think that Kate actually knew Rachel… It boggled my mind. I mean, I suppose that she hadn't known what Rachel had done back then, but how could she have forgotten about meeting her?

I groaned in frustration, kicking up sand before picking up a rock and throwing it into the waves. The stone barely made a ripple before it was consumed by the shallow waters, only making me more angry. I collapsed onto the sand, pulling my knees to my chest as I felt tears burn my eyes. How long had it been since I'd cried over Rachel? How many mornings had I awoken to the spot beside me empty and cold because she had decided that I wasn't worth waking up next to?

Burying my face in my hands, I let myself cry, my chest heaving and tightening so painfully that I was sure it would burst or maybe even cave in on itself. What was I supposed to do? Did Rachel come to try things again? Would I say yes if she asked me? What would Kate think if she knew I actually had these thoughts in my head? I couldn't give her up, I loved her and Rachel had left me in the dust. Kate actually cared about me and wanted what was best for me. Didn't she?

She was too good for me, I knew that. Maybe I deserved to get pulled around by Rachel, have my heart broken over and over again no matter how much I'd cared about her in the past. Then I imagined Kate leaving like Rachel had. The idea of me waking up one day and her just suddenly being gone made me cry even harder, my stomach clenched and my chest was so tight that I thought I might die.

What had I done wrong to deserve this?

"Chloe." It was so soft, almost like it was being sung. I sniffled, lifting my head to look around to see if I could find the voice. "Chlooooeee…" I turned my head in the direction I had been walking before I'd fallen in the sand, seeing the edge of the jungle, trees blocking my view of whatever was calling my name from beyond them. I'm not sure what came over me, but I felt compelled to stand and walk towards the voice. It was so sweet sounding, so beautiful.

I walked towards the trees, time passing in odd ways as a soft voice filled the air with a song I couldn't remember but felt like I'd heard a thousand times. It made my heart ache and race all at once, but also filled me with a chill like calm. I had to find it.

I finally got to the edge of the jungle, moving vines aside so that I could walk between the trees. It was sticky and warm beneath the canopy of green leaves, but I barely noticed it because the voice was getting louder and sweeter. I was so close.

Then, as I stepped into a clearing, I saw a small pool of water that looked like it was alight with stars, the surface so clear that I could see all the way to the bottom of the pool. A woman stood across the pool, her pale skin shimmering in the moonlight, she was completely naked. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the long, honey colored hair that flowed down her back as she turned to face me.

"Kate?" I breathed, seeing her smiling sweetly at me from across the pool of water.

"Chloe, my love," she said, but her voice had a strange resonance to it that I didn't remember being there before. It sounded softer, farther away than I'd ever heard it, like she wasn't really there. "I've been so worried about you." I watched her as she walked around the pool toward me, her glimmering hazel eyes staring into my soul.

"How did you get here?" I asked, a strange feeling coming over me. But as Kate got closer, the feeling faded. I felt like I was drunk or something, completely consumed by the way she looked at me as she pressed her bare chest against me. I smirked slightly, my heart racing as I looked down at how her body looked so right pressed against mine. But my smirk faded a bit when I realized that something didn't quite feel right.

"Is that really important right now?" She asked, wrapping her arms around my neck and leaning up to kiss me. "Why don't you focus on what's right in front of you?" I wanted to, more than anything, but I felt like I was forgetting something that was really important, something that I just couldn't find no matter how much I tried to focus. I felt myself nodding and felt like I was barely in control anymore, like someone else was in charge of me now. She stood up on her toes, our faces barely an inch away from each other when loud rustling and someone screaming my name made us both jump away from each other.

"Chloe!" I whirled around and what I saw made my heart stop. It was Kate, her face covered in horror and panic. I froze where I stood, fighting the haze that clouded my mind.

"Kate?" I said, my head spinning. "But… You…" I turned to the other Kate, looking over her naked body and then turning to the Kate that had just shone up. "But, why are there… What the fuck is going on?"

"She's not the real Kate, dear," the naked woman said, taking my hand and leading me towards the pool behind her. "She's just an illusion because of all the stress you've been experiencing."

"Chloe, no," Kate called out, running forward and taking my other hand. I looked down into her eyes, seeing the panic that swirled right at the surface of her features. "Please, Chloe, don't go with her." I frowned, shaking my head to try and clear it, but that only seemed to make the fog worse.

"I don't understand," I heard myself say, but my voice sounded far away, like I wasn't the one speaking. Everything was so fuzzy.

"It's alright, my love," the naked Kate said, a sweet but somehow chilling smile on her lips. "Just come with me and everything will be just fine." She took another step back towards the pool, making me take another step towards her.

"No, Chloe, please," the other Kate begged, trying to tug me away from the pool of shining water as the naked woman stepped backwards into it like there were steps just below the surface that I hadn't seen. "Get away from her!"

"You dare try to command me?" The naked woman asked, glaring at Kate so fiercely that it brought me back to myself a little. But before I could react the naked woman pounced, jumping forward and tackling Kate to the ground. Kate screamed, the sound mixing with the screech that came from the naked woman above her.

I'm not sure what came over me in that moment. All I remember is seeing red and pulling the naked woman off of Kate. She no longer looked like Kate at all, her skin a pale blue and covered in scales. There was blood and screaming and then it all got very quiet and I fell to my knees. The only thing I remember then is that my hands were covered in blood and Kate was whispering to me and helping me to my feet before leading me out onto the beach. I don't know how long it was before I regained myself, but when I did, I was laying in a bed that I didn't recognize, the sound of laughter and shouting only slightly muffled by the walls around me.

I blinked the fog from my eyes, feeling a warm pressure against my side. I turned to see Kate laying beside me, her eyes closed as she snored softly, her breath grazing against my ear as she slept. It took me a moment to remember what had happened, but when I looked down at my hands, the blood was gone and I was wearing different clothes. I felt so heavy and slow, like there was some delay between me thinking of moving and it actually happening. I shifted, putting my hand on Kate's shoulder and shaking her softly. I hated to wake her up, but I had to figure out what the hell had happened.

"Kate," I whispered, shaking her gently. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. But when she focused on me, she sat bolt upright, fretting over me in an instant.

"Oh, Chloe, are you alright? I was so afraid that you wouldn't wake up, but you were still breathing, so I just prayed and prayed that you would. I'm so sorry that I fell asleep, I don't know what came over me, really. Oh, Chloe, please tell me you're ok." I couldn't help chuckling a little as she spoke, loving the way her voice became so quick when she was worried. It was adorable, even if her concern was legitimate.

"I'm fine," I replied, sitting up with too much effort and a groan, holding my hand to my head as it pounded in protest. "But I kind of feel like I have a massive hangover. What the hell happened?" I turned to see Kate looking at me with tears in her eyes, her lip quivering as she watched me. "What's wrong?" I asked, feeling my brow furrow. She took my hands holding them against her forehead as she started to cry.

"I thought I lost you," she sobbed, her tears warm against my knuckles. I felt my heart clench in my chest as I pulled her close, the sound of her sobs filling me with a combination of fear and regret. I never wanted to be the reason she was this upset.

"But you didn't lose me," I said gently as she buried her face in the crook of my neck, tears streaming from her eyes and onto my tunic. "Everything's just fine. We're both alright and that's what's important."

"She almost got you," Kate hiccuped, looking up at me and wiping her eyes. "You could've been hurt and I wouldn't have been able to save you." The words really hit home that time, filling me with a sense of dread that I'd rarely felt before.

"I can't remember everything that happened," I said quietly, having a hard time keeping the fear and shock from my voice. "Can you tell me what… What I did?" By the way Kate looked away from me and how she shook, I knew that I probably wasn't going to like what I was about to hear.

"It… The… Whatever it was, was trying to kiss you when I got there and then you started following her into the water and she was speaking this language that didn't make any sense and you were speaking it back. I thought that it was some sort of language you two might have learned before she left, but then it attacked me and it wasn't Rachel anymore and you -"

"Wait," I said, shaking my head a little and trying to blink away the headache that was pounding against the front of my skull. "Rachel? I thought it was you." There was a long pause as we looked at each other, Kate's eyes wide.

"What?" She whispered, looking as confused as I felt.

"It looked like you," I said, feeling a sudden rush of realization. "I… I thought that it was you. You - it was telling me that it would help me and that everything would be just fine and there was this… this singing."

"Do you know what that thing was?" Kate asked, watching me carefully as I rubbed my palms against my eyes and forehead.

"I think so," I replied. "Do you know what a siren is?"

"Isn't it like some sort of mythical creature?" She asked, her brows knit together as I nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, they lure sailors to their deaths by singing to them and imitating people they know," I replied, remembering stories that I'd been told. "They usually imitate people we care about, but they've been known to imitate people we don't like, hoping they get negative reactions out of us to make us act out of anger."

"Oh," Kate breathed, staring down at her hands as they laid limp against the sheets of the bed. "I… I thought it was Rachel." I looked down at her, my heart sinking at the guilty and deflated look to her. "I thought that you… That you were going to kiss her and… She's so much prettier than I am, I thought for sure that you were going to… to…" She sniffled, hugging herself as she stared off at what I could only guess was the memory of what she had seen. I cupped her cheek with my hand, drawing her gaze to mine. She looked up at me with wide, watery eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You will never have to worry about that," I said gently, wiping a tear from her face with my thumb. "I love you, Kate. You're kind and smart and so unbelievably beautiful. I wouldn't give you up for all the women in the world, let alone someone who left me years ago. There's a reason that creature imitate you and not Rachel." Kate didn't say anything, she just wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me so tight that it was hard to breath, but I didn't care. I buried my face in her hair, letting myself relax against her. "Thank you for saving my life." Kate shook her head, her voice muffled as she spoke.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you for saving mine," she replied, her voice shaking a little as she held back her tears. Images of blood and the sound of screams echoed through my mind, but I pushed them down. The creature was dead. I knew that I had killed her, but how didn't matter. I was sure that I'd killed men in more violent ways for smaller reasons.

"I'd defeat armies to protect you, Kate," I whispered, kissing the top of her head before she pulled away a little to look into my eyes.

"You shouldn't have to do anything to protect me," she said softly, looking guilty with her soft, reddened eyes and small frown. I smiled softly, brushing a strand of honey colored hair behind her ear.

"It's not about having to do it, it's about wanting to," I replied gently, kissing her softly. "You are someone that I never want to lose, so I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that you're safe and happy and smiling."

"But what if you get hurt?" She asked weakly, watching me with searching eyes. "I don't want to lose you." I smiled softly, keeping her gaze locked with mine.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise." I closed the space between us, kissing her tenderly and pulling her as close to me as I could. I let the warmth of her lips sink beneath my skin, letting it drive away the fear and the fog that had earlier consumed me. I knew in that moment, that no matter what happened, I was going to do everything I could to make sure Kate felt loved and was as happy as she could be.

I swear that I will give you the life you deserve, my love, I promised her silently as I laid down on top of her, our lips never parting as she pressed herself to me.

I am yours.


	25. Chapter 25

Victoria's POV

I woke up the next morning to the sound of someone knocking way too loudly at the inn room door. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I looked around to see Max pressed against me, her face practically buried in my chest. Part of me was glad that we had gotten dressed again before falling asleep because when I sat up, gently setting Max's head down on her pillow, I looked around to see Chloe and Kate laying in the bed just a few feet from ours. I could just barely make out their sleeping figures underneath the thick blankets, but I could see Kate's hair strewn every which way on her pillow.

The loud, annoying knocking on the door started again, getting a frustrated sigh out of me as I was forced to leave the warm comfort of the bed Max and I shared. Walking over to the door, I ran my fingers through my hair to get it to stay down instead of sticking up so that I looked somewhat presentable. I could feel that I really needed a haircut, maybe I could ask Kate to do it. Opening the door, my annoyance only grew when I saw who was standing in front of me, a way too enthusiastic grin on his face for having woken me up so early in the morning.

"Good morning, Victoria," Warren greeted me, holding out a tray of food to me. "May I come in? I brought food to maybe heighten my chances of entry." I rolled my eyes, taking the tray and setting it down on the table near the door before turning back to see him stepping into the room and looking around, his eyes settling on Max. He smiled warmly, making my skin crawl and a knot tie itself in my gut. "She's really cute when she sleeps, huh?" I took a deep breath, cramming down the rising jealousy I felt trying to take over my response.

"What do you want, Warren?" I asked, closing the door as he sat down at the table where the food was, taking a piece of bread into his hand and taking a big bite out of it before speaking.

"I just came by to see how the four of you were doing," he said through a mouth full of food. "That and Rachel wanted me to come by and ask if Max would be willing to meet up and talk for a bit."

"Rachel?" I asked, remembering the woman Max had mentioned while we were in France. "Max said that she hasn't seen Rachel since she left Ireland. What the hell is she doing here?" Warren just shrugged, taking another bite of bread, crumbs falling onto his trousers. I held in a scoff at his behavior. My mother would've locked me in my room without dinner if she'd seen me eating like that in front of another person.

"I asked her the same thing," he replied, looking up at me and shrugging. "She just told me that she wouldn't talk to anyone else but Max about whatever it is."

I heard someone shuffling in one of the beds behind me, making me turn around to see Chloe sit up and stretch her arms over her head to reveal her bare chest. I flicked my gaze away immediately, my cheeks burning intensely from the way she seemed to not notice that she was naked.

"Oh, hey, guys," she said sleepily. I could hear the smile in her voice, even though I couldn't see her face.

"For the love of god, Chloe, please put on a shirt," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose and closing my eyes for a moment. What was wrong with these people? Waking me up at such an ungodly hour, eating like complete pigs and then not even bothering to wear clothes.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," she chuckled, shuffling some more behind me. "We didn't wake you up last night, did we?" She walked past me, grabbing an apple from the tray of food on the table. I felt my brows furrow, watching her as she took a big bite of the fruit and chewed as she smiled blissfully.

"No, I didn't even hear you come in last night," I replied, looking at the food. My stomach grumbled when I saw some cheese and another bit of bread. I picked them up, spreading some of the cheese on the bread using a knife Warren had brought along with the food. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wasn't sure if Kate was quiet enough, is all," she said nonchalantly, looking up towards me with a grin from where she sat across the table from Warren. I paused, searching her face for some sort of meaning to the way she was staring at me so mischievously. "She doesn't always know how to keep quiet when things get heated." I coughed, putting a hand over my mouth to keep me from spitting out bread crumbs. Chloe started laughing, her head thrown back as she watched me try to keep myself from choking on my breakfast.

"Why are you all being so loud?" Max groaned from our bed, sitting up and rubbing one of her eyes. She looked to see that I was coughing and got out of bed quickly, patting my back as I caught my breath. "Are you ok? What happened?"

"Just wondering how you two slept, that's all," Chloe replied, looking as smug as could be. I looked up to see Max blushing and looking down at the ground nervously.

"We slept fine," she replied, grabbing an apple off the tray as Chloe had, taking a small bite of it as she linked her arm with mine, leaning her head against my shoulder as she moved her hand down my arm until she reached my hand, intertwining her fingers with mine. I smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head. I wished that we were just able to go back to bed and laze around together all day, but I knew that probably wouldn't happen with this Rachel person around. Chloe's eyes widened, a huge grin appearing on her face.

"Holy shit," she said, looking between the two of us. I couldn't help sighing in exasperation at how suddenly excited she looked.

"What is it now, Price?" I asked. It was way too early for this shit.

"You two slept together," she shouted, jumping to her feet, looking way to excited. My heart stopped in my chest, my throat tightening with embarrassment. Max groaned, burying her face in my shoulder. I could feel her cheek heating up through the thin fabric of the tunic I was wearing.

"Chloe," she groaned against me, her voice muffled by my shoulder. Chloe walked over, grabbing Max's arm and tugging on it excitedly, giggling like an excitable child.

"Max, I need details," she begged, looking way too happy about the whole thing.

"Why would you want details?" I asked, the question coming out angrier than I meant it to.

"Because I honestly never thought this day would come," she replied, feigning a look that reminded me of the pride shown by mothers when they talked about how much money their son made or how their daughter had just given birth to her third child.

"Hey," Max yelped defensively, finally disengaging from me to look at Chloe. "What's that supposed to mean?" She sounded more hurt than anything, but Chloe just feigned repentance, wrapping her arm around Max's shoulders and ruffling her already dishevelled locks.

"Oh, come on, Max," she said, throwing her a smirk. "You gotta fill me in, I told you everything about my first time."

"I never asked you to do that," Max retorted, looking indignant, the pouty look on her face making me have to hold in a giggle even though I was more embarrassed than I had ever been in my life.

"What makes you think they had sex?" Warren grumbled, his brows knit together in a mixture of annoyance and disappointment. We all looked over to him, causing him to look away, his own cheeks darkening a little. "I mean, there's not proof that they did, that's all I'm saying. You've always been one to make wild assumptions." I glared at him, feeling anger boiling in my chest.

"Why is that a wild assumption?" I snapped, making everyone suddenly flick their gazes to me. I cleared my throat, trying to stand my ground without giving anything away. "Not that it's true."

"Oh my god, you two totally got down and dirty," Chloe proclaimed, giving a little hop before looking at Max again. "Please tell me that you were the top." Max blushed so hard that I was pretty sure she'd stay that color forever, but I knew that I looked about the same.

"Chloe!" Max exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Can we not talk about this right now? Or ever, even, that would be nice too."

"Oh, come on, Max," Chloe whined. Her reaction to the whole thing made me smile, it was funny seeing her so interested in something that had little to do with her in the first place.

"Why is everyone screaming?" Kate grumbled from her bed, rubbing her eyes and holding a sheet up over her chest. We all turned to look at her, her cheeks going red as she realized her situation.

"I saw Rachel earlier," Warren hurried out, making us all turn our gazes to him. Chloe sighed, rubbing her forehead and Kate looked down at the bed she was laying in. I looked at Max whose eyes were wide with surprise.

"Wait, seriously?" She asked, her expression slowly shifting from shock to anger. "What the hell is she doing here? Did she say what she wanted?" Warren paused, stammering a little.

"She just said that she wanted to talk to you," he replied, looking nervous under Max's rare, but surprisingly spine chilling glare. "She said that she wouldn't tell me anything and that she only wanted to talk to you."

"Why the hell would I want to talk to her?" Max growled. I felt a shiver travel through me at her tone, the fire in her eyes filling me with a weird combination of nervousness and arousal.

"She said that she knew something about a map," Warren replied. We all froze for a moment and Max and Chloe shared a look.

"Did you know about this?" Max asked Chloe, getting a nervous laugh out of the normally confident woman.

"I might've seen her last night," Chloe replied, quickly adding onto her confession when she saw the way Max got even angrier. "But we didn't talk to her. I stormed off when she tried to talk to me and Kate chased after me." I looked over at Kate, seeing that she looked way too guilty for someone who supposedly hadn't spoken to this person before.

"I might've talked to her," Kate admitted, getting a surprised look from Chloe.

"Why?" She asked, her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and confusion.

"She said that she had something important to tell me," Kate muttered sheepishly. "She told me that she had been following us for a while and that she knew something about the map Victoria gave to you and that she knew how to use it."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Chloe asked, her voice kind of quiet for someone I would've expected to be angry.

"After everything else that happened last night, it kind of slipped my mind," she said, avoiding everyone's eyes as we watched the exchange. "I'm sorry." My heart broke a little in my chest at the way she said those words, they sounded so full of guilt. Apparently Chloe had experienced a similar reaction because she walked over to the bed and sat down, wrapping the smaller woman in a hug and kissing the top of her head.

"It's ok," she said, chuckling as she thought over last night. "Things did get a little crazy."

"What are we going to do?" I cut in, hating to ruin the moment, but knowing that we needed a plan before everything went to shit. "Are we going to trust this stranger and listen to what she has to say?"

"She's not a stranger," Chloe said, sounding a little defensive despite herself. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "She used to be a friend, a trusted one. She wouldn't have come here just to fuck with us."

"Then we should listen to what she has to say, right?" Kate asked, still holding the sheet up against her chest to cover herself.

"She said that she only wants to talk to Max," Warren said, the information, though I'd already known it, making my skin crawl a little. I didn't like the idea of Max being along with Rachel, even though I knew Max wouldn't do anything. Would she?

"Then I'll go and get this over with," Max said, pulling me from my thoughts. She had her fists clenched tight at her sides, her features tense and her jaw rigid. She really didn't want to do this, did she?

"Alone?" I asked, unable to stop myself. She turned to me, her features softening.

"I don't really have a choice," she replied.

"I could go with you," Warren cut in, looking far too excited. I held in what felt like was going to be a growl, my fists clenched at my sides as I watched him get to his feet.

"That's ok, Warren, I don't need you do go with me," Max said, sounding a little more calm.

"Because I'm going with her," I added quickly, wrapping my arm around her shoulders before staring Warren dead in the eye. His jaw tensed as he got to his feet, straightening to his fullest height. He looked as angry as I felt, I hated the way he looked at her and the way he seemed to think that she somehow belonged with him. Maybe he didn't believe that, I don't know, but I didn't care. "Do you have a problem with that, Captain?" I asked, putting as much venom behind the title as I could. He seemed to back down a little at that, but he didn't move away.

"How about we just let Victoria go with Max," Chloe suggested, walking over and standing beside Warren. "You and I need to work on a plan for when we leave, anyways. Plus, we can go check up on Presshit to see how he's doing."

My heart sank in my chest and my stomach clenched when I remembered Nathan, his face slack as his eyes rolled back in his head because the pain from his infection was too much. I decided to ask Max if we could go check on him after we met with Rachel. I wanted to be sure he was alright. My chest felt tight with guilt. I was so consumed in paying attention to Max and making sure she knew I cared about her that I nearly forgot that my best friend was probably dying right now and I wasn't there for him. My stomach clenched at the thought and Max must've noticed my sudden reaction because she intertwined her fingers with mine, smiling sweetly at me.

"Do you wanna go see him before we go to meet Rachel?" She asked, almost like she had read my mind. I couldn't help smiling a little, but even Max's smile couldn't push away the guilt I felt boiling in my chest.

"That would be preferable, but it seems that whatever information Rachel has is quite important," I replied, trying to sound more sure of the statement than I felt. I knew that we needed whatever information Rachel had about the map, but Nathan meant more to me than any treasure that map could help us find.

"It's ok," Max insisted, still managing to smile a bit through the firmness of her voice. "We need to go see him regardless, and I know it's important to you."

"Then it's settled," Chloe cut in. "Max and Victoria will go check on Nathan and then meet with Rachel while the rest of us make some sort of plan for when we set sail. Now, will all currently dressed persons please exit so that poor Kate can get dressed?" Max looked like she might explode from the amount of laughter she was holding in. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help smiling in amusement.

"You heard her, let's get out of here and give them some privacy," Max said, grabbing her belt and putting it on before strapping her sword to it. She tugged me towards the door, Warren trailing behind us. It was weirdly quiet between the three of us as we walked, but I could tell that Max was oblivious to the way Warren seemed to be pouting behind us.

"Hey, um… Victoria?" He finally spoke up, the hair on the back of my neck practically standing on end from how hard he was trying to sound firm.

"Yes?" I asked, not turning to look at him as we reached the door of the inn. He put his hand on my shoulder and it took everything I had in me not turn around and punch him in the face. I have no idea why, but he just made me feel so angry sometimes, maybe it was the way he looked at Max. Maybe I was just being paranoid and needed to calm down. So I took a deep breath and turned around, letting go of Max's hand for a moment.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" He asked, giving Max a sheepish glance. "Alone?" Max's eyes widened and she looked to me, like she was asking me if it was safe to leave me alone with him.

"If you insist," I replied evenly, looking at Max and giving her a small smile, trying to show her that I was fine and wouldn't try to beat him to death. She nodded, smiling brightly at me before leaning up to kiss me. I kissed her back, smiling softly as she walked out of the inn, leaving Warren and I semi alone in the practically silent inn. Apparently everyone who'd been in the dining room the night before were up in their rooms, nursing hangovers and trying to connect dots that appeared in a night full of dancing blurs and lights.

"Is there something you wanted to say to me?" I asked the slightly taller man in front of me. His features grew tense and serious, his dark brown eyes staring me down.

"I wanted to tell you that what you're doing to Max is wrong," he said, his jaw tense. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to push down the defensiveness I felt crawling up from my gut.

"And what is it that I'm doing to Max, exactly?" I asked plainly, knowing that being calm against his anger was better than fighting back at the moment. I really didn't need to piss off one of Max's friends, especially if that friend just so happened to be a pirate with a massive ship and guns and all that.

"Making her fall for you," he said, his voice rising in volume. "It's obvious that you don't care about her as much as she cares about you." I fought the anger that was boiling in my chest, the way his words not only infuriated me but confused me.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I snapped, hating that he seemed to be getting under my skin with such silly accusations.

"You just want her because she's beautiful and won't tell you no when you want to take advantage of her," he accused, getting into my personal space. "You're using her and everyone knows it. Even you know that, don't you? Max is the only one who doesn't see it because she thinks that everyone is good and doesn't see that people like you just want to hurt others."

"That's not true," I replied, but it was weak. Max wasn't that naive. She knew what she needed to do to protect herself. But, despite knowing that, it was almost like he had recited a script of every horrible thing I'd heard whispered within my own mind since the moment I met Max. That I didn't deserve her, that all I could do was hurt her. "I love her. She's everything to me."

"You better treat her like it," he growled, igniting the anger I'd felt before, but the doubt he'd planted still lingered. "'Cause if you don't, I'll show you what happens to people who hurt my friends."

"You're just jealous because she's in love with me and not you," I snapped, trying to regain some sort of advantage. That seemed to make his shrink away a little, so I kept going. "You talk about how I'm taking advantage of her, but you can't even stand to see someone else get close to her just because you have feelings for her. How long has it been since she's told you no? How many times has she had to say no to you so that you'd leave her alone?"

"What do you know?" He snarled, his fist clenched at his sides. "You barely know her, you're practically strangers."

"I know her better than you ever will," I said lowly, trying to sound more sure of myself than I felt. "She loves me and you're just too much of a child to get that through your head, so you mope around and act like she's doing it because you're a bad person, but she just doesn't feel the same way. Why is that so wrong?"

"Because I love her," he shouted, his eyes filling with tears. I froze, shocked by the ferocity behind his words. "I'd give her everything and she chose you instead. She chose a stranger, someone who is one of the people who'd rather see her hanged. She chose a woman instead of me." I deflated a little, feeling a strange mixture of anger and sympathy well up in my gut as I watched his anger being replaced by a sorrow I'd rarely seen before. It was almost like he was showing me a physical representation of how I'd felt when I thought Max had been killed. I thought I'd lost her forever, but she had been alright. But with Warren, he wasn't mourning the loss of Max herself, just the love he thought she'd give him.

"Are you guys coming or not?" I heard Max ask from behind me. I turned around to see her pause, her gaze softening when she saw the looks on both our faces. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing," Warren said, walking past me and out the door. "I'll go with you both to check on that Prescott person, but then I have to come back and help Chloe make a plan of action." I nodded, looking at the ground.

"Ok, well let's go then," Max said hesitantly, starting towards the hut Madam Melody was treating Nathan in. Max started telling stories about days she'd spent in this village, beaming as she described crazy adventures and fights that her and Chloe had won together and all the strange and different people they had met. I tried to listen, but it was hard to focus with Warren's words echoing through my mind. Did everyone really think that I didn't actually care about Max? Was I that bad at showing how I felt? Did Max think I wasn't in love with her? The thought made my stomach clench in unease and I had to stop the questions before they tore my even tempered facade to shreds.

Just focus on what needs to get done, I told myself. After the day is over, then I'll ask Max if I'm good enough. Maybe she can help me understand if what Warren said is true.


	26. Chapter 26

Max's POV

We made our way towards Madam Melody's hut, memories rushing back to me as we passed by everything in the daylight. It was nice to reminisce, even if things seemed a little tense after we left the inn. Warren looked like he was pouting, but he stood up tall and puffed his chest out a little. Victoria was somewhat stiff beside me, her fingers gripping my hand like a lifeline as we made our way through the village. She kept looking at the ground, her eyes focused on something far away. It made my heart sink a little because I knew it was probably because Nathan was so sick or because of whatever Warren had said to her. I looked up at her, bumping my hip against hers. She jumped a little, meeting my gaze as I smiled at her.

"What's on your mind?" I asked her, squeezing her hand. She smiled for a moment before the light in her eyes seemed to dim considerably. She looked away from me again, shaking her head.

"Nothing, I was just thinking," she replied, holding my hand a little tighter all of a sudden. I felt my brows furrow, but I wasn't sure what to say. I stopped for a moment, tugging her arm gently. She stopped and looked at me expectantly, her brows raised as those brilliant green eyes watched me.

"You can tell me when something's bothering you," I said, feeling like I just hadn't made it obvious enough. I pulled her a little closer, pressing the back of her hand to my lips. "I love you." I saw her eyes mist over as I spoke and her jaw became tense.

"I love you too, Max," she whispered, pulling me into a tight embrace. I smiled, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in her shoulder. But the swelling peace I felt in my chest faded a little when I saw Warren looking over at us, his lips pressed into a hard line. I felt a strange mixture of sympathy and frustration pulse through me at his gaze. I had known for some time that he had feelings for me, but I had told him that I didn't feel the same way. So why was he looking at me like I had just betrayed him? My heart sank a little at the thought. If he did feel that way, I felt sorry for him. He deserved someone who felt the same way about him, not to be stuck with feelings that would never be reciprocated.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" I asked Victoria, my thoughts rushing back to her when I felt her shaking in my arms. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and pulling away a little. She looked much more calm now and she was smiling, even if it was a bit weak.

"Later," she promised, running her fingertips down my cheek. I felt my knees wobble a bit beneath me at the tingling sensation that shot through me at her touch. "We have work to do right now. That's a bit closer to life and death than what I have to say." I smiled up at her, leaning in to kiss her. She did the same, cupping my cheek with her hand as she brought me closer. This was what I wanted. Victoria, just her, no facades, no money, no lies, no fear. Just her. It was a hard thing to find beneath it all, but when she kissed me, it felt like everything else she had ever pretended to be was stripped bare, left behind to turn to dust.

The rest of the walk was lighter and filled with more smiles. I joked around with Warren a bit, trying to even out some of the tension. He seemed to lighten up after that too, smiling sweetly and laughing like he meant it. It was nice. I hated that he could let his feelings for me make him so upset. The last thing I wanted was for him to be unhappy just to make me happy. That was stupid, especially since he deserved to smile and laugh and feel loved just like everyone else did. Of course I'd told him that a million times. Chloe too, especially after Rachel left.

But things seemed to be better now, at least for the short amount of time that it took to get to Madam Melody's hut. When we arrived, Nathan was laying on the table in the middle of the room, a blanket laid over him and a pillow under his head. His eye wasn't as swollen anymore and his breathing looked stronger just by the way his chest rose and fell.

"Your friend can take quite the hit, luckily for him," Madam Melody said as we looked him over. "But, as they always say, I have good news and bad news." My stomach clenched a little at that and Victoria's grip on my hand tightened to the point of causing pain, but I didn't mind. I was there for support, which seldom felt good in situations like the one we were in.

"What's the bad news?" Victoria asked, her face the picture of practiced neutrality, even at a time like this. Madam Melody was folding some newly dried clothes as she spoke, not looking over at us. She was used to this sort of thing and was hardly moved by emotional relatives, but it was rare for her to act so disconnected from a person.

"Bad news is, he'll lose sight in his right eye," Madam Melody said, putting down the dress she'd folded. I felt Victoria start to shake, but she didn't move other than that and the tightening of her jaw. "But the good news is that he'll recover nicely besides that and have a hell of a scar to show off to all the ladies back home."

"There's nothing you can do to save his eye?" Victoria asked, her voice shaking a little. I squeezed her hand reassuringly, watching her carefully. She was holding up surprisingly well under all of this. It was probably rare for people around her to receive such severe injuries.

"I had to do everything I could just to save his life, bonnie," the older woman replied. The use of Gaelic obviously confused Victoria, but she relaxed a little after a moment, taking a deep breath and nodding.

"And I owe you my thanks and much more for that," she said softly, sounding much less stiff. "Has he woken up since last night?"

"Only once when I was dressing his other wounds," Madam Melody said, turning back to her laundry. "He's a shit conversationalist."

"Can you blame me?" Nathan's raspy voice interjected, making Victoria let go of my hand and run to his side, taking his hand as she looked down at him. He blinked open his left eye, the other one still swollen shut.

"Nathan," Victoria said softly, blinking back tears. "I'm so glad you're alright. I was so worried about you." Nathan chuckled, the sound rough and only somewhat unpleasant.

"These pirates really have made you into quite the softy, haven't they?" He teased, but he held onto Victoria's hand so tight that his knuckles paled. "Where the hell am I?"

"You're in the Caribbean, one of the southernmost islands," I replied, coming into his line of sight and putting my hand on Victoria's shoulder. He watched me carefully, his gaze threatening.

"Didn't I shoot you?" he asked, making Victoria flinch a little. I squeezed her shoulder, putting on a smile.

"Yeah, you're not that great a shot," I joked. Surprisingly, Nathan laughed, even smiled. I hadn't expected such a positive reaction.

"Regardless, that blue haired friend of yours really did a number on me," he replied, sitting up slowly. Victoria looked him over worriedly, her brow furrowed as she helped support him.

"How are you in such a good mood right now?" She asked him, getting another chuckle from him.

"You tend to feel a bit less shitty when you're not dying and your asshole of a father is on the opposite side of an entire ocean," he snarked, smiling at Victoria so sweetly that I could see how it brought tears to her eyes. She smiled back and hugged him, making sure not to hold him too tight.

"I'm just so glad you're ok," she said softly. Nathan smile brightened even more as he hugged her back, burying his face in her hair. I smiled to myself, looking over at Warren who looked like he was on the verge of joyful tears just as much as Victoria. After some time spent talking with Nathan about his injuries and recovery, I couldn't help bringing up a question that'd been stewing somewhere in the back of my mind.

"So what will you do once you're allowed to leave?" I asked him. Everyone around me tensed up and turned to look at me, making me feel immediately self conscious. "Just because I was thinking that we should have some sort of plan."

"Max is right," Warren said, speaking up for the first time in awhile. He hadn't said much since we'd gotten here, mostly just staring at Nathan with a curious look in his eyes. "We need to know whether or not we should help him depending on his plans."

"What do you mean?" Victoria said, sounding outraged. "Of course we're going to help him." She stood up straight, her hands on her hips as she turned her gaze to me. "Aren't we Max?" I stammered, swallowing nervously. I just had no idea what to say. I wanted to help him, but I wasn't exactly keen on trusting someone who'd tried shoot me.

"Not if he decides that he wants to go tell his people where we are," Warren interjected, standing up to challenge Victoria and her all too terrifying glare. "What if he goes back to England and comes back with a fleet to take Max and Chloe and Kate to be hung and takes you back to that precious empire of yours?" That seemed to get Victoria's attention, as well as Nathan's.

"I'm sure that he wouldn't -" I began, but Victoria stopped me, holding up her index finger at me as she turned to Nathan.

"Would you do that?" She asked him, sounding far more vulnerable than I was used to when we were around other people. Nathan hesitated, taking a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his messy hair.

"I don't know what other choice I have," he said, sounding resigned. "Your father was adamant that I bring you home safely and bring the people who took you to justice. They'll find us whether I go back or not, but if I don't go back they'll probably hang me with the pirates."

"You do have a choice," Victoria insisted, taking Nathan's hand. "Stay with us. You don't have to go back there and live under your father's thumb anymore. You can be free, like us." I looked down at the floor beneath me, Victoria's words striking me deep and pulling out memories of things she said in France. She had told Chloe that the freedom she'd offered Kate didn't exist. That we were criminals, that we could never be free. Had she really changed her mind on that? There was a long pause as we all waited for Nathan's response.

"You really think that's possible?" He asked softly. I looked up at him, surprised to see the glimmer of hope in his eyes. I wondered what could've been so bad about his home that he would want to escape so badly. What could his father have done to him that was so awful that he'd be desperate for a way out? Victoria smiled, looking over at me in a way that made me freeze where I was. She looked at me like I had saved her, like I'd given something to her that she never would've been able to get herself. I smiled back, my heart turning into a bit of a puddle in my chest.

"Yes," she said, turning back to Nathan. "If I can escape, then so can you." Nathan smiled, tears welling in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Victoria, crying into her shoulder. I smiled sitting back in my chair. It didn't take much time for Nathan to calm down, but I suggested that someone stay with him to keep an eye on him for awhile. Warren volunteered, saying that it was best for Victoria and I to stick together when we went to meet up with Rachel.

With that, her and I made our way to where Warren said he'd last seen Rachel, the Fisher's Inn right on the docks. I took a deep breath as the inn came into sight. It was an old, wooden building, hanging lazily over the small waves that lapped at the sand beneath it, held up by wooden beams covered in sea urchins and darkened by years of wear and tear. But, as shabby as it looked, it made me feel calm. This place, this whole village, was more of a home to me than Ireland ever was. And now I was here with one of the people I loved most in the world. I turned to see Victoria staring over at the water, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight that bounced off her skin. I smiled despite myself, my chest filling with warmth as I watched her. She was so beautiful, so unknowingly expressive. Part of me was resisting the urge I had to start messing around with her, telling her that we should go for a swim or just start kissing right then and there on the beach. But I already knew what she would say. Something about how we had more important things to do or how she'd murder me if I got sand anywhere near her hair. But the thought just made me smile even more, making my urge to push her into the rolling waves even harder to resist.

"Enjoying the view, I see," someone's voice interrupted my thoughts, but it wasn't Victoria's voice. We both looked over towards whoever had spoken and my entire body tensed almost painfully. Rachel was leaned against a large boulder that had been stuck in the sand since I could remember, her arms crossed over her chest as her hazel eyes watching me like I was her prey. She smirked at me, pushing herself off of the rock and taking a few steps towards us. "It's good to see you again, Max." I was shocked by the words, but they stoked the angry flame in my chest a little bit more. Rachel had been a trusted friend, someone I would've gladly laid down my life for. But now, in that moment, she was like a traitor to me. She had hurt Chloe and had never even said a word of warning and had never apologized for what she'd done. But, somehow, I couldn't help the pang of hurt and slight joy I felt in my chest. I had assumed she was dead. But she was alive and she looked almost exactly the same. I spent some time in my own head, debating whether to hug her or punch her square in the jaw. Instead, I settled for straightening to my fullest height, hands balled into fists at my sides.

"Rachel," I greeted her, unable to keep the stiffness out of my voice. I saw a flash of sadness cross her face, but it was gone before I could catch it to process it, her smirk quickly put back in place.

"Oh, come now, Max," she said smoothly, her voice sending shivers down my spine as she took another step towards me. "Aren't you glad to see me? It's been years. How have you been? Have you and Chloe been doing well?" It was hard to speak. I wasn't sure if I could or even what I would say if it were possible to put words together. Victoria took my hand, offering some amount of reassurance. Rachel caught the action easily and her smirk turned into a grin. "And who's this? Did little Max finally catch feelings for someone other than Chloe?"

"That's none of your business," I said, but it was almost a growl. I had never been the type to defend myself in situations like this, not with my words. But she had no right to talk about Chloe or Victoria or Kate, or anyone else that I cared about. Especially not in that teasing tone of hers. But Rachel's features seemed to soften a bit at me words and she lost a bit of the confident air she'd put around herself.

"Fine," she said, looking more than a little disappointed. "I'm assuming that Warren let you know why I was here."

"I wouldn't be here otherwise," I replied a little too sharply, feeling a stab of guilt when I saw her features fall almost completely before she could stop it.

"Ok, I get it," she said softly, taking out a folded up piece of paper from between her left breast and her top, handing it over to me. I took it, unfolding it and looking it over. It was a note with some sort of list, but the words made no sense. I looked up at Rachel, my brows furrowed.

"What is all this?" I asked.

"It's instructions for when you get to the destination on your map," Rachel replied, crossing her arms back over her chest. "But I'm the only person who knows how to get there and what any of those instructions mean."

"Then why are you giving this to me?" This whole thing was making me feel very strange and I didn't like where it was going.

"Because I know that you and Chloe have been searching for a break like this since the beginning," she said with a shrug. "Consider it an apology." There was a pause as I looked back down at the paper in my hands. The words didn't make any real sense to me.

"What's the catch?" I asked, feeling like I sort of already knew. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly surprised by Rachel's response.

"I'll only tell you what it means if you let me come with you to find it," she said. "I want to make things right and this is how I plan to do it." I looked her dead in the eye, surprised when she looked away first. "Please, Max. I need to prove myself to you and to Chloe. I need to make up for what I did."

"How could you possibly expect me to trust you?" I asked, the only thing really holding me back from breaking down and yelling at her was the fact that Victoria was right there, holding my hand and making me feel like I didn't have to hurt Rachel to show her I was angry.

"I don't expect you to trust me," Rachel replied, looking up at me again. "I just need you to let me make this right." I paused, the paper crumpling slightly in my tensed hand. Something about the way she spoke made me really want to believe her, but I wasn't going to make this choice without Chloe. There was no way in hell.

"I'll have to ask Chloe," I said simply, folding up the piece of paper and putting it in my pocket. "You should probably come along with us back to the inn. Just… let me do the talking." Rachel smiled, looking much like how she had before she left and it made my heart ache.

"Yes, of course, anything you say," she said excitedly, her eyes beaming. I swallowed the growing lump in my throat and nodded, starting back towards the inn. Victoria walked beside me, obviously tense, and Rachel followed close behind.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Victoria whispered, pulling me from my thoughts. I took a deep breath, shrugging.

"I don't think we have much of a choice anymore," I replied simply. Victoria just nodded, wrapping her arm around my waist and pulling me a little closer as we walked. The contact made me feel a little less tense, but it didn't distract me from the fact that I was about to make Chloe face someone who had hurt her more than any person should ever be able to. And the scariest part was, I didn't know what else to do. We had searched for so long, wanted a life of own since the very beginning and now Rachel was the only person who could help us get there. I just hoped that I could trust her enough to take us to the lives Chloe had always wanted for us.


End file.
